It pleased Senator Hanway to hear that the Frost fortunes were being unexpectedly served by the volcanic Mr.Hawke himself.

That gentleman had fallen into a state of indignant eruption; his best friends could not approach him because of the smoke and flame and lava which his rage cast up.
"The most scoundrel thing I ever saw in Washington is that I am made to fight for the Speakership!" cried the eruptive Mr.Hawke; and this fashion of outburst does not help any man's cause.
To steal a simile from a dead gentleman who stole from others in his day, Mr.Hawke went into the final battle of the caucus much after the manner wherewith a horse approaches a drum, that is, with a deal of prance and but little progress, and, for the most part, wrong end foremost.

Even then the count of Senator Hanway--a cold-blooded computation--gave that gavel to the violent Mr.Hawke.So much for being a House leader, a tariff monger, and a friend of Governor Obstinate.
On the afternoon before the caucus, Senator Hanway took a last look at the array.

Besides Mr.Hawke and Mr.Frost, there were two other candidates, Mr.Patch and Mr.Swinger.These latter had been sent into the lists by the diplomacy of Senator Hanway to hold the delegations from their States, a majority whereof, if released, would fly to Mr.
Hawke.

With all four names before the caucus, Mr.Frost would lead Mr.
Hawke by two, without having a majority.