“There is no motion before the stockholders!” roared Tommy, hammering the desk vigorously with his gavel, for he was a model presiding officer, and would no more have served in this capacity without a gavel than he would have gone to meeting without a coat. “Mr. President, I made a motion,” said Barnscott. “So did I,” added Wetherstane. “Neither of them is before the house. Gentlemen, you interrupt the company’s business by your disorder. I insist that the proceedings be conducted with parliamentary propriety.” Tommy had been to the legislature with his father when the charter was obtained, and indulged in technical phrases which all the students did not fully comprehend. “I move you--” “Order!” screamed Tommy, at the top of his lungs, and as savage as a yellow wasp. “I move you--” “Order!” repeated the vigorous president, indicating each of the movers by pointing at them with his gavel. “Take your seat, Barnscott! Sit down, Wetherstane! This business shall be done in an orderly manner, or not at all;” and Tommy swelled up till he was as big as the presiding officer of the Senate of the United States. “I thought this was a free country, and that the stockholders of the Lake Shore Railroad had a right to speak in the meetings,” growled the irrepressible Barnscott. “Sit down!” thundered Tommy. “I have a certificate for ten shares; and that gives me the right to speak and to vote in this meeting,” added the indignant Wetherstane. “Take your seat, or I will have you put out of the hall!” yelled the president. “I’ll sell my stock to any fellow that wants it for a stick of molasses candy,” continued the wrathy Barnscott. “What is the use of owning stock if you are to be muzzled like a mad dog?” “Shall we have order, or not?” cried the president, disgusted with the irregular proceedings of the turbulent stockholders. “Order! Order!” shouted a respectable majority of the assembly. Tommy was evidently out of breath, and disposed to resort to disagreeable measures. The meeting was held in the chapel of the Institute, and the principal, if not the major, was within calling distance. Rather than have a lecture from either of them, the violent makers of motions subsided for a time, and permitted the president to do the lecturing. Tommy took a swallow of water from a tumbler on the desk, and then looked majestically around the room, as if to satisfy himself that no further disorder was intended, and that the turbulent ones were disposed to listen to his remarks. “Gentlemen, order is Heaven’s first law, and it must be the first law of the Lake Shore Railroad Company, especially in a meeting of its stockholders,” Tommy began, and then paused, looking as solemn as an owl at noonday, to note the effect of his impressive words. As no one objected to this proposition, Tommy took another swallow of cold water, and proceeded with his remarks.