Yet new information was forthcoming. From Mr. McKnight’s study in West Hall Clif made his way, through the dim corridor of Middle, to East and down the stairs to Loring’s room on the first floor. Mr. Cooper, Tom, Loring and Wattles were on hand when he entered in the middle of a debate on Wyndham’s chance to win from Horner Academy in the boat races to be held a few days later. Wattles, of course, was not taking part in the discussion, being busy in a corner of the room with a bottle of odorless cleanser and a couple of dozen of Loring’s neckties, but he looked as if ready to supply an opinion if it was asked for. Wattles in the past eight months had become an ardent Wyndhamian and was firmly convinced that the Dark Blue could whip anything on land or water; or, discounting the future, in the air, for that matter! This was an election year, and the newspapers were giving much space to the impending national conventions. Loring was greatly interested in politics, a subject which bored Tom supremely, and after the boat races had been exhausted Loring asked: “Who are you going to vote for for President, Mr. Cooper?” Mr. Cooper smiled a little. “I can tell you which of the candidates I fancy I’d vote for if I were going to vote,” he replied. “If you were going―― But do you mean that you aren’t, sir?” Loring sounded outraged. “Why, don’t you think that every citizen――” “Absolutely, Loring! But, you see, I’m not a citizen.” “How do you mean, sir?” asked Tom. “I mean that I’m not an American citizen. I thought you chaps knew.” “Why, no, sir!” exclaimed Tom. “I thought of course you were. Heck, that’s a blow! May I ask why you aren’t? I mean, what――” Mr. Cooper chuckled. “I was born in Derbyshire, England, Tom. And although I’ve lived over here a good part of my life, and in other countries another good part, I’m still a subject of His Majesty King George.” There was a suppressed exclamation from Wattles in the corner of the room, followed by the thud of the bottle of cleansing fluid against the carpet and the _glug-glug_ of its wasting contents. CHAPTER XVI A DOUBLE DEFEAT