He jumped out of the buggy, and hastily climbed into the hay-mow.  It was a safe and quiet spot, and was possessed of several convenient eye-holes through which he could watch with interest the search which immediately began.

He saw the two men coming up to the barn, and as they passed almost below him, he heard Milt say, “Oh, sure, John Thomas will vote right—­I can run him all right!—­he’ll do as I say.  Hello, John!  Where is he?”

They went into the house—­they searched the barn—­they called, coaxed, entreated.  They ran down to the road to see if he had started back to town; he was as much gone as if he had never been!

“Are you dead sure you brought him?” Milt asked at last in desperation, as he turned over a pile of sacks in the granary.

“Gosh! ain’t they lookin’ some!” chuckled the elusive voter, as he watched with delight their unsuccessful endeavors to locate him.  “But there’s lots of places yet that they hain’t thought of; they hain’t half looked for me yet.  I may be in the well for all they know.”  Then he began to sing to himself, “I know something I won’t tell!”

It was not every day that John Thomas Green found himself the centre of attraction, and he enjoyed the sensation.

Having lost so much sleep the night before, a great drowsiness fell on John Thomas, and curling himself up in the hay, he sank into a sweet, sound sleep.

While he lay there, safe from alarms, the neighborhood was shaken with a profound sensation.  John Thomas was lost.  Lost, and his vote lost with him!

Milton Kennedy, who had to act as scrutineer at the poll in town, was forced to leave home with the mystery unsolved.  Before going, he ’phoned to Billy Adams, one of the faithful, and in guarded speech, knowing that he was surrounded by a cloud of witnesses, broke the news!  Billy Adams immediately left his stacking, and set off to find his lost compatriot.

Mrs. Alex Porter lived on the next farm to Billy Adams, and being a lady of some leisure, she usually managed to get in on most of the ‘phone conversations.  Billy Adams’ calls were very seldom overlooked by her, for she was on the other side of politics, and it was always well to know what was going on.  Although she did not know all that was said by the two men, she heard enough to assure her that crooked work was going on.  Mrs. Alex Porter declared she was not surprised.  She threw her apron over her head and went to the field and told Alex.  Alex was not surprised.  In fact, it seems Alex had expected it!

They ’phoned in cipher to Angus, Mrs. Angus being a sister of Mrs. Alex Porter.  Mrs. Angus told them to speak out plain, and say what they wanted to, even if all the Conservatives on the line were listening.  Then Mrs. Porter said that John Thomas was lost over at Milt Kennedy’s.  They had probably drugged him or something.