"Better wait a week," said Browning, picking up his bags, "I'm busy now."
"How extraordinary!" remarked Dismal Jones. "If the faculty should hear that Browning was busy they'd give him a warning!"
Browning frowned in mock anger and Frank, putting on an expression quite as solemn as Dismal's own, and laying his hand on Dismal's shoulder, said:
"The fact is, boys, Jones has become ambitious. He knows that the election of class-day officers is only a little more than a year away, and he's getting himself into training for one of the positions."
"Oh, go on, it isn't so!" exclaimed Dismal.
"That's just his modesty," continued Frank, "for of course he doesn't want to push himself forward, but he's quietly waiting for his friends to recognize his great ability, and as we're his friends we just want to boom him from now on, and I take this occasion of nominating Dismal Jones, Esquire, as class wit."
Rattleton burst into guffaws of laughter, while the others smiled.
"The idea is humorous enough to elect him!" said Diamond.
"Well, if he's going to be a candidate," added Browning, "we must put the campaign through in proper fashion. We must organize a Dismal Jones Club and have an emblem.
"I move that we all wear crape upon our left arm and mourning bands upon our hats until the election."