The guard nodded absently. The game was a thing of the past. "What do you think of a formal ballot?" he asked suddenly.
Johnny squirmed. "It's an awful lot of trouble to go to just for a school election, isn't it? Most of the fellows think"
"What do you think about it?"
"Why, maybe each fellow could just write the names of the fellows he wanted—"
"Now look here!" Praska's muscular forefinger tapped his chest. "You're not thinking straight. That's too much hit and miss. A dozen fellows might be voted for, and one might win just because he happened to get about nine votes. Why didn't Mr. Banning hold this election before? He waited until we got settled and had a chance to size up each other. He wanted us to know what we were doing. And what are we doing? We're running around with everybody talking in a different key. Isn't that so?"
"Why, yes; I guess it is."
"That wouldn't happen if candidates were nominated and their names put on a ballot. We'd know who were candidates. Wouldn't that be better?"
"I—I didn't say it wouldn't be; I didn't say anything against it. Yes; I guess it would be." The boy backed away gingerly. "I must hurry
