He was exceedingly angry with Dan for entering the race for committeeman, and, while he was pretty certain of reëlection, he didn’t neglect any chances. He never quite understood how Dan had got ahead of him with Brewster, and when that absent youth replied to his letter by informing him that he had already pledged his vote to Vinton, Hiltz was both astounded and angry. He had always intended seeking reëlection, for the office carried not a little honor with it, but Dan and Arthur were correct in their surmise that it had been his grudge against Gerald which had set him suddenly to work securing pledges. He was quite certain that Gerald would come up again for election to Cambridge, and, since he had defeated him in the spring when his dislike to the millionaire’s son had been general rather than personal, he certainly wasn’t going to let him get in now when he detested him as much as he did. Besides Hiltz’s dislike for Gerald there was also his dislike of Gerald’s sponsors to egg him on. Hiltz envied both Dan and Alf, just as he envied any fellow who had secured honor and popularity denied him, and with Hiltz envy was akin to hate. So, in a way of speaking, he had three reasons for securing reëlection to the Admission Committee and keeping Gerald out of Cambridge.
The election of Admission Committees by the First, Second, and Third Classes was to take place on the first Wednesday in November. Meanwhile Dan and Arthur Thompson were busy. Hiltz had soon learned of Arthur’s defection and had entered him in his bad books also. Murdock had finally agreed to vote for Dan. Brewster, too, was pledged, and Dan had at last persuaded Caspar Lowd to promise him his vote. Therefore, out of twenty-nine votes Dan was practically sure of thirteen, two less than necessary to secure his election.
“I know where you can get one vote,” said Arthur, one day, less than a week before the election.
“Where?” asked Dan eagerly.
Arthur pointed his pencil at Dan. “Why, vote for yourself,” he said. “Why not?”
“Because—” Dan hesitated. “Oh, I don’t like the idea of it.”
“Nonsense! You don’t suppose that Jake will vote for you, do you?”
“No, not much. But, just the same— Besides, I’d still be short a vote, Arthur.”
“Well, if you should find that other vote will you agree to cast your own vote where it’ll do the most good?”
“I’ll think it over,” answered Dan. “I don’t suppose there’s any good reason why I shouldn’t.”