CHAPTER TWENTY TWO.
A MYSTERIOUS LETTER.
It was hardly to be expected that the political excitement of Willoughby would altogether disappear until the result of the election was made known.

And for some reason or other a whole day had to elapse before the tidings found their way up to the school.
After what had happened no one had the hardihood to ask leave to go down into the town, and none of the butcher's or baker's boys that Parson and Telson intercepted in the grounds could give any information.

The hopes of Willoughby centred on Brown, the town boy, whose arrival the next morning was awaited with as much excitement and impatience as if he had been a general returning home from a victorious campaign.
Fully aware of his importance, and feeling popularity to be too unusual a luxury to be lightly given up, he behaved himself at first with aggravating reserve.
"Who's in!" shouted Parson from the school gate, the moment Brown appeared about a quarter of a mile down the road.
Brown, of course, could not hear.
The question was repeated with greater vehemence as he approached, until at last he had no excuse for not hearing.
"Do you hear, you old badger, who's in ?" yelled Parson and Telson.
"Look here, you kids," said Brown, loftily, "who are you calling a badger?
I'll knock your cheeky heads together if you don't look out." "Oh I say, who's in! can't you speak ?" reiterated the youths, who at this moment possessed only one idea between them.
"Who is it?
Who's got in ?" repeated some Limpets, who were as eager every bit to hear as the juniors.
"In where ?" replied the aggravating Brown, shouldering his way in at the gate and intoxicated with his own importance.

"What are you talking about ?" "Why, who's been elected for Shellport?
Is Pony in ?" shouted the boys, impatiently.
"Pony!" rejoined Brown, half-contemptuously, "do you suppose they'd have an old stick like him!" "What," exclaimed Merrison.

"Is Cheeseman in after all, then ?" "Eh ?" "Is Cheeseman in, can't you hear ?" "I never said he was," replied Brown, majestically.
This was rather too much, and a simultaneous rush was made for the pompous town boy, and the secret forcibly extracted in double quick time.
"Now," cried one of the Limpets, giving his arm a premonitory screw, "out with it, or I'm sorry for you." "Here, let go my arm, you cad, I say; oh! you hurt! let go, I--oh! oh! Cheeseman's in!" The arm was flung away in disgust as a simultaneous groan greeted the announcement.
"How much by ?" demanded the inquisitors, once more preparing to apply the screw.
But Brown had had quite enough of it, and answered glibly, "Eight hundred and twenty-five majority!" This was a terrible blow, and in the general dismay which followed, Brown was temporarily overlooked.
"Eight hundred and twenty-five!" exclaimed Merrison.