by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE RESULT OF THE BALLOT.
The first part of the port watch went on duty at eight o'clock, when thesecret poll for the choice of a captain, under the new order of events,was closed. Shuffles was in this watch, but as neither his "trick at thewheel" nor his turn on the lookout came within the first hour, he had anopportunity to attend to the important business of the League. Pelhamand the two receivers of votes belonged in the second part of the portwatch, and there was nothing to prevent them from attending theconference which Shuffles had appointed.
While Shuffles had been teaching the "outsiders" the game of "Don't knowBeans," Pelham, as officer of the deck, remained abaft the mizzenmast,and had failed to notice what was taking place in the waist. Theofficers who were off duty, and who had unconsciously voted forShuffles, said nothing to those in charge of the ship. In accordancewith the requirements of man-of-war discipline, the weather side of thedeck was given up to the captain and the officers on duty, while all theidlers were required to keep on the lee side. Captain Gordon was aprivileged person. On the weather side, even the denizens of the aftercabin did not presume to address him on any question not connected withthe discipline of the ship. When he went over to the lee side, it wasunderstood that he was simply a student, and even an ordinary seamanmight speak to him when he walked forward.
Shuffles had explained the game to the outsiders on the lee side, out ofthe hearing of the officer of the deck; and Pelham, entirely satisfiedthat he was already elected, did not trouble himself about the matter.
If "Don't know Beans" was not much of a game, it was better thannothing, and Shuffles soon found that there was danger of his littlescheme being exposed. During the second dog watch, at supper time, andas other opportunities were presented, he told Wilton, Monroe, Adler,and others, that the second lieutenant, seeing so many beans on thedeck, wished to know where they came from, and that, to deceive him andthe rest of the officers, he had invented the game which he described,and wished them to play while off duty on deck. "Our fellows" thoughtthis was a good joke, and the new pastime was soon understood throughoutthe ship, and "butts" were appointed in each quarter watch to play itthe next day.
"The fellows have all voted, I suppose," said Pelham when the party hadobtained a good position for the conference.
"The time is out, whether they have or not," replied Grossbeck.
"All we have to do now is to count the votes," added Shuffles,impatiently, for he was afraid his little trick would be exposed beforethe result of the ballot was obtained.
"Well, let us have it counted at once," said Pelham, who, having nodoubt of the result, had no thought of offering any objection to thefairness of the election.
"We can't count the votes here," suggested McKeon. "Some one would seeus, and want to know what we were doing."
"I can't leave the deck; I'm on duty," replied Shuffles.
"Let the receivers count it themselves."
"We ought to see them do it."
"That is not necessary. They don't know how many votes they have."
"I'm sure I don't," said Grossbeck.
"Neither do I," added McKeon.
"I'll tell you how we can manage it, without exciting the attention ofany one."
"I will agree to anything that is fair," replied Shuffles.
"Grossbeck shall go forward, and McKeon aft as far as the mainmast, sothat each cannot know what the other is about. They can count the votesseparately without being seen."
"I don't see how we can," said McKeon.
"Can you tell a pea from a bean by the feeling?"
"Of course we can."
"Where did you put the votes, Grossbeck?" asked Pelham.
"In my trousers' pocket."
"So did I," added McKeon.
"Both of you have on your pea-jackets now, and there is a pocket oneach side of them. Take out all the peas first, and put them in theright-hand pocket of your pea-jacket; then all the beans, and put themin the left-hand pocket; then count each."
"Some fellow may see us counting them," said Grossbeck.
"You must take care of that," answered Pelham.
"If they do, it will not make much difference. Some of the fellows werecareless, and threw their beans on the deck."
"Did they?" laughed Pelham? "I suppose they had no use for them."
"The second lieutenant saw them, and wanted to know what they meant,"added Shuffles.
"Whew!" exclaimed Pelham.
"I made it all right, though I was obliged to invent a new game to throwhim off the track."
"Good!" said Pelham. "But we must go on with the counting. When you havefound the number of peas and of beans, you will write the result on apiece of paper, each of you. McKeon, you will hand your paper toShuffles, and, Grossbeck, you will hand yours to me. That's fair--isn'tit?"
"Certainly," replied Shuffles.
"Then we will put the two papers together; if they agree, the electionis made; if they do not agree, we must do it all over again," continuedPelham.
"All right," added Shuffles.
The two receivers were sent away to count the votes. As one wentforward, and the other aft, and the two "Shackles" stood between, nocommunication whatever could pass from one to the other. It was nowquite dark, and most of those off duty had turned in, for the studentshad become so well accustomed to sea life that they could sleep whenevertheir presence was not required on deck.
"I hope this thing will be settled now once for all," said Pelham, whofeared that some mistake might defeat his hopes.
"So do I," replied Shuffles, who was disturbed by the same dread.
"Have you any idea what the result will be?" asked Pelham, who, in spiteof the mutual "toggling," and the mutual assurances of good faith, hadsome doubts whether his rival would be willing to accept the result.
"Well, I don't know," replied Shuffles, cautiously, and with the samewant of confidence which disturbed his companion. "There is no knowingwho will be governor till after election."
"Of course not, but you might have some idea of the way the thing isgoing?"
"I might, but what's the use of talking when we shall know all about itin ten or fifteen minutes?"
"Of course you have some hopes."
"To be sure I have; and I suppose you have, too."
"Certainly I have; if I hadn't, I should have given the thing up withoutthe trouble and risk of a ballot," replied Pelham.
"We both expect it, and it follows that one of us must be disappointed."
"You know the bond."
"I do."
"Here is my hand, Shuffles. I pledge myself over again to abide theresult of the vote, whether it is for me or against me," continuedPelham, extending his hand.
"And here is my hand, Pelham, with the same pledge, honor bright,"replied Shuffles, as he took the offered hand.
"I am tolerably confident of the result," added Pelham.
"I am quite confident that I shall be chosen," replied Shuffles.
"Don't be too certain, my dear fellow," laughed the fourth lieutenant."I have taken in a great many recruits."
"I'm glad you have--the more the better. I have also taken in a goodmany. Pelham, do you know this is very shaky business?"
"Shaky?"
"Yes--between you and me, I mean. If either of us should back down, thewhole thing would fall to the ground."
"Back down!" exclaimed Pelham. "Why, after what has passed between us, Iconsider it impossible that either of us should back down. I am pledged;so are you; and if either of us should back down, I hope he will--falloverboard accidentally."
"So do I," replied Shuffles, heartily.
"My dear fellow, if you should back out, I should be mad enough to helpyou over the rail, some dark evening, if I had a good chance."
"I don't believe I should feel any better-natured if you should breakyour agreement. One of us is doomed to disappointment. We have tried tomake this thing as fair as possible."
"Certai
nly we have, and it will be as fair as anything can be. I amentirely satisfied with the voting."
"Are you?"
"Of course I am."
Shuffles was very glad of this acknowledgment in advance of thereception of the result.
"But, after all, Pelham," said he, "there may be an appearance ofunfairness in the voting, after the result is declared."
"There may be; but each of us is pledged not to claim anything onaccount of such an appearance. If the figures of the two receiversagree, that is the end of the whole thing, and you or I will be thecaptain."
"That's so; but here comes McKeon," replied Shuffles, as the receivergave him the paper on which the result of the votes he had received waswritten.
It was too dark to see it, and the rivals waited, in great excitement ofmind, for the appearance of Grossbeck. He came, and his paper was handedto Pelham. The conditions of the agreement had now all been compliedwith, and the two papers were to be placed side by side, where both ofthe candidates could see them at the same instant. It was necessary, inthe darkness, to obtain the use of a light for a moment and they decidedto wait till the midshipman on duty in the waist went into the steerageto make the half-hourly inspection.
When one bell struck, the officer left his post, and the conspiratorswalked up to the binnacle in the waist. By raising one of the slides inthe side of the machine, the lamp which threw its light on the face ofthe compass would enable them to examine the papers.
"Hold your paper by the side of mine," said Pelham as he placed theimportant document in a position to receive the light from the binnaclewhen the slide should be moved.
"Open it," replied Shuffles, nervously, as he complied with thedirection of his rival.
Pelham raised the slide, and the contents of the papers were read byboth.
Peas,........19
Beans,........22
The results given in by the two receivers were the same, and by theterms of the bond, it was an election.
"Shut the slide," said Shuffles.
"Who opened that binnacle?" demanded the first master, walking aft fromhis station on the forecastle.
"I did, sir," replied Shuffles, unwilling to permit the fourthlieutenant to answer the question. "We were looking at some figures Ihad made."
The master, finding that the fourth lieutenant was one of the partygathered around the binnacle, said no more, and returned to his place.
"Are you satisfied, Pelham?" asked Shuffles, in the softest of tones.
"I don't understand it," answered the disappointed candidate.
"Don't you? Well, you will remember that neither of us was to raise anyquestion about the fairness of the ballot."
"I don't say a word about its fairness; I only said I did notunderstand it," answered Pelham, in surly tones.
"I don't understand it any better than you do; but the point just nowis, whether you acknowledge me as captain, or not."
"Of course I do. When I pledge myself to do a thing, I always do it, Ihail you as captain."
"All right," added Shuffles. "Then nothing more need be said. You havekept your bond like a gentleman and I now appoint you my first officer,as I promised to do."
"Thank you," replied Pelham, in a sneering tone.
"What's the matter, my dear fellow? Are you not satisfied?" demandedShuffles.
"Entirely satisfied with the result;" but he talked like one who wasanything but satisfied.
"It was a fair thing--wasn't it?"
"I suppose it was; I don't know."
"You speak as though you were not satisfied, Pelham."
"I am not disposed to grumble. I only say that I don't understand it."
"What don't you understand?" asked Shuffles, sharply. "The election wasconducted on a plan furnished by yourself; the receivers were of yourown choice; the results agree; and I can't see, for the life of me, thatthere is any chance to find fault."
"I don't find fault. The result perplexes me, because I can't seethrough it."
"What do you mean by that?"
"I don't see where your twenty-two votes came from."
"And I don't see where your nineteen came from," retorted the successfulcandidate.
"The whole number of votes was forty-one," added Pelham, who was quitesure there was something wrong.
"The long and short of it is, that there are more fellows on board that'know beans,' than you thought there were," laughed Shuffles.
"Can you tell me where the forty-one votes came from, Shuffles?"demanded Pelham.
"Came from the fellows, of course."
"It's no use to snuff at it, my dear fellow. I do not purpose to setaside the election. I acknowledge you as captain. Can I do any more?"
"You can't; but you seem disposed to do something more."
"I merely wish to inquire into this thing, and find out how we stand.Had you any idea that forty-one fellows belonged to the Chain?"
"I had not," replied Shuffles, honestly. "I was never more surprised inmy life, than when I saw Tom Ellis and Andy Groom vote."
"That was all right. Both of them joined."
"I can tell you what took me all aback," interposed McKeon, who, withGrossbeck, had been walking back and forth in the waist.
"No matter what took you all aback," added Shuffles sharply. "Thequestion is settled; what's the use of raking up every thing that mayseem to be strange?"
"What was it that took you aback, McKeon?" demanded Pelham.
"It was when the captain voted," replied the receiver.
"The captain!" exclaimed Pelham.
"Yes."
"Do you mean Captain Gordon, McKeon?" asked Pelham, with intensesurprise.
"Of course I do."'
"All the officers of the first part of the port watch voted," addedGrossbeck.
"They did!" exclaimed Pelham.
"Well, was it any stranger that the officers of the first part of theport watch voted, than it was that those of the second part did so?"inquired Shuffles, with earnestness.
"I think it was," replied Pelham, decidedly.
"Paul Kendall was one of them," said McKeon.
"Paul Kendall! Does any fellow suppose he has joined the Chain?"demanded the defeated candidate.
"Why not?"
"And Captain Gordon?"
"Why not?"
"How did the captain vote?" asked Pelham.
"No matter how he voted," said Shuffles, indignantly "I protest againstthis raking up of matters which are already settled."
"He voted beans," replied McKeon, who, it is hardly necessary to add,was a Pelham man.
"Then he is one of your friends, Shuffles," continued Pelham, who wasbeginning to understand how his rival had been elected.
"I don't claim him."
"Did you take the captain into the Chain, Shuffles?"
"I won't answer," replied the captain elect.
"If Captain Gordon and Paul Kendall are members, I would like to knowit. I am first officer of the ship under the new order of things, and ifI command Gordon to do anything, I mean that he shall obey me."
"Of course you will give him no orders till we are in possession of theship," added Shuffles, not a little alarmed.
"Well, as Gordon and Kendall are members of the Chain--of course theyare, or they wouldn't have voted--we can talk over the matter freelywith them," said Pelham, chuckling.
"If you make the signs, and they make them, of course you can," repliedShuffles. "No member can speak to another about the business of theChain until both of them have proved that they belong, by giving therequired signals."
"Shuffles, do you suppose Captain Gordon knows the signs?"
"How should I know? I never tried him. I don't know why he shouldn'tmake them as well as Tom Ellis."
"Tom Ellis is all right. I vouch for him, for I admitted him myself. Whowill vouch for the captain? Who took him in?"
"I don't know."
"I don't; but if anybody has admitted him, and not given him the signs,he ought to be i
nstructed in them. Of course he must have been admitted,or he would not have voted," added Pelham, sarcastically.
"I have nothing more to say about this matter," replied Shuffles,disgusted with the cavils of his first officer.
"Nor I; but I shall satisfy myself whether the captain is a member ornot," said Pelham, decidedly.
"Well, you must be very cautious what you do."
"Certainly I shall. I will give him the first sign; if he don't answerit, I shall conclude he is not a member; or, if he is, that he has notbeen properly instructed."
"Better not say anything to him," said Shuffles.
"Why not? He voted, and it must be all right."
"Don't you say a word to him, unless he proves that he is a member."
"I think he has proved that already by voting."
"You know our rule."
"I do; it requires me to satisfy myself that the person to whom I speakis a member. I am entirely satisfied now that the captain and PaulKendall belong; they would not have voted if they had not belonged."
This was a "clincher," and even Shuffles had not wit enough to escapethe conclusion of the dogmatic reasoner. The captain elect of the Leagueknew very well that nine persons who were not members had voted--that hehad secured his election by a gross fraud. He was afraid that Pelham,disappointed by his defeat, would do something to compromise theenterprise; but his own treachery had placed him in such a position thathe could say nothing without exposing himself.
"Of course it's all right," added Pelham, "I find we have plenty offriends in the after cabin. As soon as you have any orders to give,Captain Shuffles, I am in a position to execute them to the bestadvantage."
"When I am ready, I will give them to you."
"It will be an easy matter now to obtain possession of the ship; infact, all you have to do is to order Captain Gordon to turn the commandover to you. He has been 'toggled,' and must obey his superiors--ofcourse he has been toggled; he couldn't have voted if he hadn't been."
Shuffles was terribly exercised by the repeated flings of hisdisconcerted rival. He was already satisfied that the enterprise hadcome to an end, unless Pelham could be quieted; and he was about topropose a new ballot, when he was ordered by the quartermaster on dutyto take his trick at the wheel.
"What does all this mean?" demanded Pelham of the receivers, when thecaptain-elect had gone to his duty.
"I only know that the captain and all the officers of the first part ofthe port watch voted, and other fellows who would no more join thisthing than they would jump overboard," replied McKeon.
"How could they vote--how could the captain vote--without understandingthe whole thing?" demanded Pelham, perplexed at the inconsistency of thefacts.
"I think I know something about it," added Grossbeck.
"What do you know?"
"Haven't you heard of the new game?"
"What new game?"
"'Don't know Beans.'"
"Shuffles said something about it, but I did not comprehend hismeaning."
Grossbeck explained the game, whose history had been circulated among"our fellows."
"And this game was played while the voting was going on?" said Pelham,who began to see the trick which his rival had put upon him.
"I didn't know anything about it till supper time," answered Grossbeck.
"I see it all," continued Pelham. "The receivers were the 'butts,' andabout a dozen fellows voted for Shuffles, including Gordon and Kendall,supposing they were simply playing 'Don't know Beans.'"
It did not require a great deal of penetration on the part of the fourthlieutenant to comprehend the trick of his rival. He was indignant andangry, and all the more so because he had been outwitted, even while hewas attempting to outwit his unscrupulous competitor.
The next day, the quarter watches off duty played "Don't know Beans" totheir satisfaction. It was found, when everybody was watching the"butts," that very few could deposit their beans without detection. Afew hours' trial of the new pastime convinced all except "our fellows"that it was a senseless game, and it was speedily abandoned.
On the nineteenth day of the voyage, the Young America encounteredanother gale, but it was not nearly so severe as the one through whichshe had passed when off Cape Sable. The ship ran for twelve hours underclose-reefed topsails; but as the gale came from the south-west, shelaid her course during the whole of it, and behaved herself to theentire satisfaction of all on board. On the following day, the wind hadhauled round to the north-west, and the sea subsided, so that the shipwent along very comfortably.
Notwithstanding his doubts of the good faith of Pelham, who, however,nominally adhered to the terms of the compact, Shuffles arranged hisplans for the capture of the ship. He had decided to defer the grandstrike until the ship had come up with Cape Clear, so that the faculty,and all the students who would not take a part in the enterprise, mightbe put on shore immediately. In the course of three days, the land wouldprobably be sighted. The rising was to take place in Pelham's watch, theofficers of which were members of the League. All the details had beencarefully arranged, and trusty "links" appointed to perform the heavywork. As soon as the "old folks" had been locked up in the cabin, andthe new captain had taken the command, the ship was to be headed for theshore. The great event was to come off at six o'clock in the afternoonof the twenty-third or twenty-fifth day. The ship would be near thecoast for at least a part of two days. If she was within six hours' sailof the land on the twenty-third day out, when Pelham would have thesecond part of the first dog watch, the rising was to take place then;if not, it was to be deferred till the twenty-fifth day, when thewatches were again favorable.
Shuffles communicated with his discontented first officer as often as hecould, and unfolded his plans without reserve. Pelham listened, and,still professing his willingness to obey his superior officer, promisedto do all that was required of him.
"In your watch, Pelham, you will see that the helm is in the hands ofsome of our fellows," said Shuffles.
"Certainly," replied Pelham, with more indifference than suited theenthusiastic chief of the enterprise "By the way, Captain Shuffles, haveyou laid out any work for Captain Gordon to do?"
"What's the use of talking to me about him now that we are on the verypoint of accomplishing our purpose?" demanded Shuffles, with deepdisgust.
"You can't deny that Gordon is an able fellow, and, as a good commander,of course you intend to give him some important position," chuckledPelham. "Have you appointed the rest of your officers yet?"
"To be sure I have."
"Have you given Gordon anything?"
"No!" growled Shuffles.
"No? Why, do you think the present captain of the ship will be contentto go into the steerage under the new arrangement?"
"He may go into the steerage or go overboard," answered the chief,angrily.
"Accidentally, you mean."
"Pelham, if you intend to be a traitor, say so."
"I! My dear fellow, I don't mean anything of the kind. I am as true asthe pole star."
"Have you spoken to the captain about our affairs?"
"Not a word."
"Have you tried him by the signs?"
"I have, and he made no sign," laughed Pelham, who was not muchenamoured of the cabalistic clap-trap of the Chain.
"Then, of course, he is not a member."
"He must be; he voted," replied Pelham, maliciously.
"How many more times will you say that?"
"Perhaps fifty; perhaps a hundred," answered the fourth lieutenant,coolly. "I shall say it until you are willing to acknowledge the trickyou put upon me."
"What trick?"
"O, I know all about it! Didn't you tell Kendall, the captain, and sevenor eight others, how to play 'Don't know Beans'?"
"If I did, it was to cheat them when they wanted to know what the beansmeant."
"You saw that the fellows threw away the beans, instead of voting foryou with them, and you invented your game to make the t
hing come outright. No matter, Shuffles; I am bound by the compact we made, but Ishall persist in regarding Gordon, Kendall Foster, and others asmembers. As you made them vote, you are responsible for them. That'sall."
"Don't let us quarrel about it, my dear fellow," said Shuffles, in soft,insinuating tones.
"By no means."
"We will have a new election," suggested the chief.
"If we should, I'm afraid all the fellows would want to play 'Don't knowBeans.'"
"You shall conduct it any way you please."
"If I did, you would say I cheated you. I agreed to abide by theelection, and I shall do so. The fact is, Shuffles, you and I are toosmart to play in the same game. I shall stick to the bond. When youorder me to do anything, I shall do it," replied Pelham as he turned onhis heel and walked off.
He retreated into the after cabin, where Shuffles could not follow him.At the cabin table, studying his French lesson, sat Paul Kendall.
