For an hour the great campaign for political education hung fire and then suddenly it began to catch on. A few leading imaginations had seen the latent possibilities. In another hour apathy had disappeared and every house was discussing the momentous question whether to go Fed or Anti-Fed.
The executive committee of the Federalist party met immediately, on a call from the Honourable Cheyenne Baxter, in the Triumphant Egghead's rooms for organisation and conference.
"We've got the short end of it, all right, all right," said Butcher Stevens gloomily. "The idea of our standing up for the faculty."
"That's right, Cheyenne," said Turkey, shaking his head. "We'll be left high and dry."
"We won't carry any house outside the Dickinson and the Woodhull," said Slugger Jones.
"I'd like to make a suggestion," said Crazy Opdyke.
"We've got to plan two campaigns," said Cheyenne, "one for the election from the forms and one for the control of the houses. Let's take up the forms—the fourth form will go solidly against us."
"Sure," said Doc Macnooder, "because if we win they lose control of the finances."
"I have a suggestion," said Crazy Opdyke for the second time.
"Now," said Cheyenne, "we've got to make this a matter of the school against the fourth form, and it oughtn't to be so hard, either. Now, how're we going to do it? First, what have we got?"