“Of course you ought,” said Alf. “What beastly nonsense! Why not?”
“Well, it isn’t done generally, is it?”
“Sometimes it isn’t, but I guess that’s only when the candidate is sure of his election.”
“What do you think, Tom?”
“I say vote for whoever you want elected, no matter whether it’s you or another chap. Your vote’s as good as anyone’s and you might as well have it. If I were you I’d vote for Thompson and Vinton.”
“Honest?”
“Honest.”
“Well, I guess I will, then—that is, if I can find the other vote. If I can’t it won’t matter who I vote for.”
“Still shy one?” asked Alf. “Can’t you induce any of Hiltz’s followers to change their minds?”
“I think plenty of them would like to, but Hiltz made them promise—cross-my-heart-and-hope-to-die, you know—that they’d vote for him. Naturally they don’t like to break their promises.”