There were two leading candidates for the presidency, and, contrary to the usual custom, the opposing forces had failed to arrange a compromise and a distribution of offices. The contest was prolonged and exciting. On the ninth ballot, Mordaunt, a St. Mathias fellow, won amidst the howls of the opposition. The rival candidate was elected secretary, but promptly and somewhat heatedly declined. New nominations were called for, and Burley was proposed simultaneously from two sides of the room. His name met with loud applause. Burley, sitting unconcernedly near the door, grinned his appreciation of the joke. Two other names were offered, and then the balloting began. On the first ballot, Peter Burley, of Blackwater, Col., was elected. Burley tried to get on to his feet to refuse the honor, but owing to the fact that three companions held him down while the chairman rapped wildly for order, he failed to gain recognition. The next moment the election was made unanimous. Allan grunted his disapproval. Hal said it didn’t much matter who was secretary; anybody could be that. Hal accompanied Allan back to the latter’s room and stayed until late, talking most of the time about his chances of making the varsity squad, what he was going to do if he didn’t, and how he didn’t give a rap anyway. “Of course, I can make the freshman team all right, but what’s that? They have only four outside games scheduled, and two of those don’t amount to anything; just high schools. The only game they go away for is the one with Dexter. And this thing of working hard for a month to play the Robinson freshmen isn’t what it’s cracked up to be.” “Who will win?” asked Allan, suppressing a yawn. “That’s the trouble. It’s more’n likely that Robinson will. We’ve got a lot of good men--fast backs and a mighty brainy little quarter--but we haven’t got any support for our center. Cheesman’s a wonder, but he can’t do much with guards like Murray and Kirk beside him. Why, Kirk doesn’t weigh a hundred and seventy, and Murray’s only a hundred and eighty-something. Poor is going to issue another call for candidates; he’s going to ask every man of a hundred and seventy-five or over to come out. Say!” Hal sat up suddenly in the Morris chair and looked like a Great Discoverer. “Say what?” murmured Allan, drowsily. “What’s the matter with that man Burley?” “A good deal, I should say, if you ask me,” answered Allan. “I mean for a guard,” said Smiths, impatiently. “He probably never saw a football,” objected Allan. “They don’t play it out West, do they?” “Don’t they, though! Look at Michigan and Wisconsin and--and the rest of them!” “I refuse.” “Why, Burley’s just the man! He must weigh two hundred if he weighs a pound!” “Looks as though he might weigh a ton. But if he doesn’t know the game----” “How do you know he doesn’t?” “I don’t. But if he did know it, wouldn’t he have been out before this?” Smiths was silenced for a moment.