“I know he did,” said Hamlin doubtfully, “but I was watching the faces of those fellows while you were speaking, and I believe there’s something underhanded going on. I don’t trust Coyle. He’s tricky.”
“I know he is,” responded Gordon, “and he’d as soon lie as tell the truth any time; but if he’d been lying to-day, some of those fellows would have contradicted him, I’m sure.”
“Well, I hope it’s all right, but somehow I don’t feel sure of it,” was Hamlin’s response.
CHAPTER XIII.
THE ELECTION.
The next day, Thursday, when Hamlin reached the school-room, he found there a group of boys eagerly discussing the election and the sudden and unaccountable change in the sentiments of Company C.
“I can’t see through it,” Raleigh was saying as Hamlin entered. “Yesterday morning one of the boys told me that thirty-three of the company were pledged to vote for Griffin, and in the meeting after drill you know that Coyle declared that thirty-three were pledged to vote for Graham. There’s something snaky about it all, I believe.”
“So do I,” declared Hamlin. “Coyle’s up to mischief. You know he hates all of us who have tried to put down disorder in the class, and I don’t believe he means to vote for Graham any more than he means to vote for his royal highness, St. John.”
“So I say,” cried Reed. “Coyle’s awful slippery, and he’ll stop at nothing when he’s made up his mind to put a scheme through.”
Freeman, though not in the battalion, was as deeply interested as those who were, in the matter under discussion. As he listened to the talk, he was idly turning the leaves of a copy of the school catalogue which was lying on his desk.