“I’d like it, Andy, I must confess. But I’m afraid I’m not well enough known. Big Bart Conners has a host of friends—and he is a staving good chap in the bargain.”
During the following morning it was easily to be seen that Dan Baxter had been working hard to win the cadets over to him. The bully and his cronies had done a good deal of talking, and in a few cases it looked as if he had been doing additional bribing.
During the recess electioneering became warm once more, and the students gathered in little knots to discuss the situation. Jack, Pepper, and several others were talking together when Dan Baxter strolled up, with a dark look on his face.
“Say, I want this talk about bribery stopped,” he said, savagely. “I won’t stand it—do you understand? I won’t stand it!” And he shook his fist at the crowd.
“If you won’t stand it, sit down on it, Baxter,” retorted Pepper.
“It ain’t fair,” roared the bully, for the benefit of the crowd.
“I believe Pepper tells the truth,” came from Jack, eying Baxter boldly. “He caught you in the act.”
“Of course you’d say so, Jack Ruddy, you’re so anxious to be elected!”
“Well, I don’t want to be elected,” came from Pepper.
“And neither do I,” put in Andy. “I saw it as well as Pepper.”