where
he could see Tom's face, and there was not a particle of color in it. If
he could have looked into the ballot Tom held in his hand, he would have
found that the name written upon it was that of Thomas Randolph himself.
The candidate intended to vote in his own favor and he did; but it did
not bring him the coveted office. When the result was announced he had
just twelve votes. All the others were cast for Albert Percy. Then there
was more cheering, but Tom didn't join in; and neither did he shout out
a responsive "Aye" when it was proposed that the election be declared
unanimous. On the contrary he looked daggers at every man in the ranks
whose eye he could reach; and he could reach more than half of them, for
the line was almost as crooked as a rail fence.

"That's a pretty way for them to treat me after all the exertions my
father has made and the money he has promised to spend for the company,"
said Tom to the sympathizing friend who stood next on the right. "I
believe I'll haul out."

"Don't do it," was the reply. "Stay in and help beat the rest of that
ticket. It's all cut and dried."

"Of course it is and has been for some time. I could see it now if I had
only half an eye; but they have been so sly about it that I never
suspected it before. Slip out of the line and tell everybody who voted
for me to vote against Gray, no matter what they put him up for. We'll
show them that they don't run the company."

"Have you got your votes ready for orderly sergeant?" inquired the
deputy.

"I'd like to say a word before the vote is taken," said Captain Hubbard,
without giving any one time to answer the sheriff's question, "and that
is, that the office of orderly sergeant is one of the most important in
the company."

"I wonder how he happens to know so much," whispered Tom Randolph to the
Ranger who touched elbows with him on the right; and in a minute more he
found out.

"Ever since I began taking an active part in getting up this company,"
continued the captain, "I have been in correspondence with a military
friend who has taken pains to post me on some matters that are not
touched upon in the tactics. Among other things he warned me that if we
intend to do business in military form, we must be careful whom we
select for the office of orderly. He ought to be a thorough-going
soldier--"

"Gray, Gray! Sergeant Rodney Gray!" yelled a score of voices.

"Very well, gentlemen," said the captain, who looked both