“Why didn’t they elect Gus Weston?” asked Roy Dresser. “Gus would have made a dandy leader.”
“Because Star pulled all the strings he could,” answered Pop, “and scared the fellows into voting for him.”
“I happen to know, Pop,” interposed Musgrave warmly, “that more than three-fourths of the team wanted Star for captain long before election. You might as well be fair to him, Pop. Give him a show. Don’t convict a fellow before he’s tried, I say!”
“All right, Ned,” answered Pop good-naturedly. “We’ll let him have his trial. Maybe you’re right, too. Star may make a better captain than he did a first lieutenant. Let’s hope so. I won’t be here to see, though.”
“What makes you think so?” inquired Nick Blake maliciously, raising a laugh at Driver’s expense. Pop, as he himself put it, was doing the four-year course in five, and there was always some doubt as to his getting through in five. Pop grinned now and shook his head.
“They’ll give me my diploma to get rid of me, Nick,” he said.
Jimmy, who had remained quiescent until now, took advantage of a momentary lull in the discussion and chuckled. Pop, beside him, turned inquiringly. “What’s on your mind, Jimmy?” he inquired.
“I was just thinking of something Dud got off awhile ago,” replied Jimmy, still visibly amused. Dud threw an entreating look at him, but Jimmy pretended not to see it.
“Dud who?” asked Pop.