with the prospect. It made me furious, too, to see my ambition nipped
with the frost of a possible veto from Miss Smawl.

"If she is elected," thought I, "there is nothing for me but to
resign--to avoid the inconvenience of being shown the door. Oh, I wish
I had allowed her to hypnotize the tigers!"

Thoughts of crime flitted through my mind. Miss Smawl would not remain
president--or anything else very long--if she persisted in her desire
for the tigers. And then when she called for help I would pretend not
to hear.

Aroused from criminal meditation by the return of Professor Lesard, I
jumped up and peered into his perplexed eyes. "They've elected a
president," he said, "but they won't tell us who the president is
until to-morrow."

"You don't think--" I stammered.

"I don't know. But I know this: the new president sanctions the
expedition to the Graham Glacier, and directs you to choose an
assistant and begin preparations for four people."

Overjoyed, I seized his hand and said, "Hurray!" in a voice weak with
emotion. "The old dragon isn't elected this time," I added,
triumphantly.

"By-the-way," he said, "who was the other dragon with her in the park
this evening?"