“No.  I don’t know anything about the proceedings.”

“It don’t take any,” said Dennis.  “It’s only fair play we’re afther.”

He was gone again before Peter could say anything.  The next instant, the enrolling officer rose and spoke.

“Are there any more to be enrolled?” he called.  No one came forward, so after a moment he said:  “Will the meeting choose a presiding officer?”

“Mr. Chairman,” rang two voices so quickly that they in truth cut the presiding officer off in his suggestion.

“Mr. Muldoon,” said that officer.

“Oi spoke first,” shouted Dennis, and Peter felt that he had, and that he was not having fair play.

Instantly a wave of protest, denials, charges, and counter-charges swept through the room, Peter thought there was going to be a fight, but the position was too critical to waste a moment on what Dennis styled “a diversion.”  It was business, not pleasure, just then.

“Mr. Muldoon,” said the officer again, not heeding the tempest in the least.

“Mr. Chairman,” shouted Muldoon, “I am proud to nominate Justice Gallagher, the pride of the bar, for chairman of this distinguished meeting, and I move to make his election unanimous.”

“Misther Chairman,” shouted Dennis.

“Mr. Moriarty,” said the officer.

“Misther Chairman, Oi have the honor to nominate for chairman av this meetin’ the people’s an’ the children’s friend, Misther Peter Stirling, an’ Oi don’t have to move to make it unanimous, for such is the intelligince an’ manhood av this meetin’ that it will be that way for shure.”

Peter saw a hurried consultation going on between Gallagher, Muldoon, and two others, during the latter part of this speech, and barely had Dennis finished his remarks, when Justice Gallagher spoke up.

“Mr. Chairman.”

“The Honorable Justice Gallagher,” said that gentleman.

“I take pride in withdrawing in favor of Mr. Stirling, who so justly merits the honor of presiding on this important occasion.  From recent events too well known to need mention, I am sure we can all look to him for justice and fairness.”

“Bad cess to him!” groaned Dennis.  “Oi hoped they’d be just fools enough to oppose yez, an’ then we’d have won the first blood.”

Peter was chosen without dissent, and was escorted to the seat behind the desk.

“What is the first business before the meeting?” he asked of Gallagher, aside, as he was taking his seat.

“Election of delegates to the State convention.  That’s all to-night,” he was told.

Peter had presided at college in debates, and was not flurried.  “Will you stay here so as to give me the names of those I don’t know?” he said to the enrolling officer.  “The meeting will please come to order,” he continued aloud.  “The nomination of delegates to the State convention is the business to be acted upon.”