The rest of the meeting could not forbear the luxury of a few cheers as popular and unpopular seniors presented themselves; but, on the whole, the ceremony was gone through rapidly and in an orderly fashion.
Among the juniors, the Firm walked solemnly up the room amid cheers and cries of "Well run, puppies!" and gave in their votes.

They glanced nervously round at Pledge, where he sat with a sneer on his face, and did not like the looks of him.

The sneer they would have thought nothing of, but there was a serious, half-determined look about him which was ominous.
"The beast!" whispered Dick.

"He's going to do something." "Ugh!" said Georgie, "to think I ever liked him!" "Now," said Freckleton, when the voting was over, "to insure the counting being fairly done, I propose that three fellows who have not had the good luck to be on the list be asked to count.

I dare say they won't grudge the trouble, and it will be satisfactory to everybody to know they see fair play for the rest." (Hear, hear.) "Will any three fellows volunteer ?" Five stood up.
"Will you five choose three among you ?" said Freckleton.
This was soon done, and the scrutineers were in a few moments buried in their work, watched eagerly by many anxious eyes.
It took a good while, but to our heroes, as they sat and watched Pledge's ugly look, the end seemed to come all too soon.
There was a loud hum of excitement when the list, as finally made out, was handed solemnly to Freckleton.
"I think, if you don't mind," said the Hermit, passing it back, "as I am an interested party, it would be better if one of you read it." "All right," said the obliging scrutineer.