Page:The spirit of the leader (IA spiritofleader00heyl).pdf/78

 broad smile as he asked "Is there any discussion?"

"He's got a joke on all of us somehow," whispered Littlefield, the end, to Hammond, the captain. "He looks like a cat that's swallowed a canary and is just ready to burst into song."

"Shut up, foolish!" Hammond rebuked him. "Look who's up wanting to talk. Bet it's the first time little Danny Dunn ever talked in meeting in his life."

Hammond was right. Danny had never so far mastered his bashfulness before. But something in Mr. Banning's deliberation and his quizzical smile had struck the boy as a challenge that could not be ignored; and there he was on his feet, forgetting to address the chair, stammering and hesitating, but somehow getting out words that brought a look of keen satisfaction to Mr. Banning's face.

"But, fellows," little Dunn was saying, "you don't have to go to such a lot of work as Praska's prepared ballot just to make elections safe. There's an easier way. You can"

"Aw, cut it out, Danny," interrupted a voice. "We're kind of fed up on easy ways. I'm for—"

"Order in the room. Mr. Dunn has the floor," came from the Chair.

"There's an easier way," Danny's embarrassed