osition
of coxswain on the crew, and was figuring to gain the votes of a
majority of those entitled to pass judgment and select officers.

It was well known that Brad Morton, the same boy who had carried the
football team to victory during the last season, as captain, had once
rowed in a racing shell when visiting a relative in a college town. And
his name had been mentioned pretty much in opposition to Buck, who also
claimed to have had experience.

And as the coxswain was to have the power of choosing the members of
his crew, it can be seen that the position was one carrying a certain
amount of influence with it. As only eight fellows could be given
places on the regular crew in the shell, and Buck's five cronies were
all eager to be ranked as members, they electioneered for him most
industriously.

Fred had been given the place as chairman of the meeting, and he tried
to carry out the duties of his position without fear or favor. What he
wished to see was a square deal, with the best man winning out.

After considerable talk, in which many of the boys joined, two
candidates for the position of coxswain were put in nomination, Buck
and Brad. And each had a noisy send-off when his backer started to tell
what virtues as a coxswain the candidate possessed.

"Move we vote!" shouted Bristles Carpenter, anxious to get the agony
over.

"Question! A motion that we proceed to vote has been made, Mr.
Chairman!" called out Corney Shays, whose father was an old college
man, and had once, many years back, rowed in a junior four-oared race.

"Any second?" asked the Chairman.

"I second the motion!" came from half a dozen throats.

It was carried with a rush; and then the tellers went around, giving
each one a slip of paper on which he was to write the name of the
candidate he preferred to serve as coxswain during the season that was
at hand.

A few minutes later the tellers collected the slips, which were
accurately counted, so that there should be no chance of fraud or
mistakes. Then the result was announced by the chairman, as written out
by the tellers.

"Whole number of votes cast, seventeen. For Buck Lemington, six votes;
for Brad Morton eleven. Which, being a majority, makes Brad Morton the
coxswain of the Riverport Boat Club."

Then a great uproar broke out, all of the boys shouting or cheering.
Those who had voted for Buck Lemington, taking cue from their leader,
declared that the election had not been fairl