"Rah, rah, ray!  Rah, rah, ray!  West Point, West Point, Armee Ray, ray, ray!  U.S.M.A.!”

"Prescott!"

Dick Prescott’s chest began to heave, though he strove to conceal all emotion.  It was sweet, indeed, to have all this enthusiasm over him, after he had so long been the innocent outcast of the class.

Tears shone in either eye.  Ashamed to raise a hand to brush the moisture away, Dick tried to wink them out of sight.

But Douglass, Durville and the others gave him no time to think.  They came crowding about him faster than they could reach him, each with outstretched hand.

Little was said.  Soldiers are proverbially silent, preferring deeds to words.  So, for nearly ten minutes, the handshaking proceeded.  At last Douglass, with a warning nod and several gestures, brought the temporary chairman to his senses.

Rap! rap! rap! rang the gavel on the desk.

“The class will please come to order,” called Chairman Fullerton.  “Now, gentlemen, is there any further business to come before the class?”

“Mr. Chairman,” called Douglass, “I move that we proceed to the election of a class president.”

“Second the motion,” cried Durville.

The motion was carried with a rush.

“Mr. Chairman!” called the tireless ex-class president.

“Mr. Douglass.”

“Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, I am going to make a mistake that has become time honored among public speakers, that of telling you what you already know as well as I do.  This is that Mr. Prescott ought never to have been deposed from the class presidency.  I move, therefore, sir, that we rectify our stupidity and blindness by making Mr. Prescott once more our president.  I beg, sir, to place in nomination for the class presidency the name of Richard Prescott, first class, U.S.M.A.”

“I second the nomination, suh!” boomed out the voice of Anstey.

“Other nominations for the class presidency are in order,” announced Chairman Fullerton.

Again silence fell.

“Mr. Chairman!”

“Mr. Douglass.”

“Since there are no more nominations, I move you, sir, that Mr.
Prescott be elected president of this class by acclamation.”

“Sir, I second the motion,” came from Durville’s throat.

There was wild glee as a volley of “ayes” was fired.

“Those of a contrary mind will say ‘no,’” requested the chair.

Not a “no” could be heard.

“The chair will now withdraw, after appointing Mr. Douglass, Mr. Durville, Mr. Holmes and Mr. Anstey a committee of honor to escort the new-old class president to the chair.”

While the little procession was in motion the windowpanes rattled more than ever, with the long corps yell for Prescott.

The instant his hand touched the gavel, Dick rapped for order.