by Oliver Optic
CHAPTER XIX.
MAN OVERBOARD!
"Do you know how to play 'Don't know Beans'?" asked Pelham, as he seatedhimself by the side of the second lieutenant.
"Yes; I know how to play it, but it's a stupid game. Shuffles told mehow."
"Did he, indeed?"
"There was some fun in it the first time I tried it; but the second timewas enough to satisfy me. I don't think there is any sense in it."
"Of course there isn't, Kendall," laughed Pelham. "It was no game atall."
"What are you laughing at?"
"You were sold on that game," added the conspirator indulging in morelaughter than the occasion seemed to require.
"How was I sold? I don't see anything so very funny about it."
"I do."
"Tell me about it; if there is any joke I think I shall enjoy it. Yousay I was sold."
"You were; and so was I."
"Well, what was it?" asked Paul, impatiently.
"When you gave those fellows the beans that day, you were voting!"
"Voting! Voting for what, or whom?" exclaimed the second lieutenant.
"For Shuffles."
"Did my vote count?"
"To be sure it did; and he was elected to a certain position by yourvote and those of seven or eight others who did not understand thetrick," replied Pelham laughing all the time.
"What was the position? I don't understand what you are talking about,and therefore I can't appreciate the joke."
"I'll tell you, Kendall; but you must keep still about it for thepresent."
"It looks to me, on the face of it, like a dishonest trick. It seemsthat Shuffles lied to us when he made us believe that we were playing agame. I like a joke well enough, but I don't believe in a fellow's lyingfor the sake of any fun."
"You are right, Kendall. It was not only a dishonest trick, but it was amean one."
"What was the position?" repeated Paul.
"Some of the fellows are going to make Mr. Lowington a present of asilver pitcher as soon as we get to some port where we can obtain one."
"Why didn't you tell of it?" demanded Paul. "I should like to join inthe presentation, for I don't think there is a fellow on board who likesMr. Lowington better than I do."
"Yes; but, you see, there's something peculiar about this thing. Thecontribution is to be confined to those fellows who have beendisciplined in one way or another. A good many of us, you know, were madwhen Mr. Lowington took our money away; we are satisfied now that he wasright. We made him feel rather uncomfortable by our looks and actions,and some of us were positively impudent to him. We purpose to show thatour feelings are all right."
"Precisely so!" replied Paul, with enthusiasm. "That's splendid! Mr.Lowington will appreciate the gift when he sees the names of thesubscribers."
"Certainly he will."
"But you have no money," laughed the second lieutenant.
"We have put our names down for ten shillings apiece--about thirty ofus. When we get into port, we shall tell Mr. Lowington that we wish topresent a silver pitcher to a gentleman on board, in token of ourappreciation of his kindness, &c., and ask him for half a sovereign eachfrom our funds."
"He will wish to know who the gentleman is."
"We can ask to be excused from telling him."
"I can manage that part of the business for you. Each of the fellowsshall give me an order on the principal for ten shillings, to be paid toDr. Winstock, who will buy the pitcher for you, if you like. He isacquainted in Cork. I will give all the orders to the doctor, and hewill get the present without saying a word to Mr. Lowington until afterthe presentation. Then he will have no chance to object, on thesuspicion that the gift is intended for him--don't you see?"
Paul Kendall entered into the project with a degree of enthusiasm whichwas rather embarrassing to the conspirator.
"The fellows have been very secret about the thing," added Pelham.
"They must have been, or I should have heard something about it,"replied Paul, innocently.
"No one but ourselves has known a thing about it till now. They haveformed a kind of secret society, and know each other by certain signs."
"But what was the voting for?"
"For orator of the day."
"For the fellow who is to present the pitcher and make the speech?"added Paul.
"Yes."
"And Shuffles was chosen?"
"Yes, by a trick."
"You mean that no one but subscribers ought to have voted?"
"Precisely so."
"It was a mean trick."
"It was a sort of practical joke upon me, I suppose"
"I don't believe in practical jokes which need a lie to carry themthrough."
"Well, Shuffles has the position, unless some of you fellows will helpme out. I wanted to make the speech, and without the nine votes whichyou and other outsiders put in, I should have been chosen."
"What can we do?"
"I have a right to consider all the fellows that voted as members of thesociety. The fact of their voting makes them members."
"I don't know anything about that."
"It's clear enough to me, and in a talk I had with Shuffles just now, hedidn't pretend to deny the correctness of my position."
"If he agrees, it must be all right," laughed Paul.
"If you had understood the matter, for whom should you have voted?"
"I don't know? but after the trick Shuffles played off upon you, Ishould not vote for him."
"Very well; then you can change your vote."
"How shall I change it?"
"Go to Shuffles; and the other eight fellows who voted in the dark mustdo the same."
"What shall I say to him?"
"You must go to him as a member of the society, and salute him as such."
"I don't know how."
"I'll tell you. When you meet him, scratch the tip end of your nose withthe nail of your second finger on the right hand; in this manner,"continued Pelham giving the first sign.
"That's it--is it?" said Paul, as he imitated the action of Pelham.
"Yes; that's right He will reply by taking the lower part of his leftear between the thumb and first finger of the left hand--so," addedPelham.
"I have it," answered Paul, as he made the motions.
"Then you will scratch your chin with the thumb nail of the left hand,and he will reply by blowing his nose."
"Let's see if I can do all that," laughed Paul, very much amused at themystic indications of membership In the secret association.
He made the signs to Pelham, who replied to them, several times, untilhe was perfect in his part.
"All right. I will remember them," said Paul.
"But you haven't got the whole of it yet. When you have made the signs,and he has answered them, he will say, '_Is_ that so?' with strongemphasis on the first word."
"_Is_ that so?" repeated Paul.
"Then you will reply, '_That_ is so,' with the stress on _that_."
"_That_ is so," added Paul.
"Then you must place yourself so as to look directly forward or aft. Ifyou look forward, he must look aft."
"I understand you."
"Now I want to know who the other fellows were that played 'Don't knowBeans' that day."
"Captain Gordon was one."
"Will you post him up in what I have told you?"
"I will, and the other fellows who voted for Shuffles, if you say so."
"Thank you. I wish you would. Let them all tell him they desire tochange their votes; but have them do it one at a time."
Paul Kendall promised to do what was required of him; and in the courseof the following forenoon he initiated "the outsiders who had voted forShuffles" in the secret machinery of the supposed society, but in factof the Chain League. Being off duty during the second part of theafternoon watch, he encountered Shuffles in the lee side of the waist.
"Well, Shuffles, we are almost up with the coast of Ireland," said Paul,as
he scratched the tip of his nose with the second finger of his righthand, agreeably to the instructions given him by Pelham.
"Yes; and I suppose by Saturday, if the wind holds fair, we shall be offCape Clear," replied the captain-elect, as he took the lower part of hisleft ear between the thumb and forefinger of the left hand.
Shuffles did not suppose that the second lieutenant was a member of theleague, and pledged to assist in the capture of the ship; but as he hadmade the sign, probably accidentally, he replied to it.
"There is a prospect of fair weather for some days to come," continuedPaul, as he scratched his chin with his left hand, which was the secondstep towards a recognition in the "Chain."
Shuffles was duly and properly astonished at this exhibition ofintelligence on the part of the officer; and it was now quite certainthat Paul had joined the league, or that he had obtained its tremendoussecrets.
"I hope it will be good weather now during the rest of the passage,"added the captain-elect, as he took his handkerchief from his breastpocket and blew his nose, for he was determined to satisfy himselfwhether or not the second lieutenant was a member of the League.
"_Is_ that so?" demanded Shuffles.
"_That_ is so," answered Paul.
Shuffles was almost overwhelmed with astonishment to find that one whowas a model of fidelity and propriety had actually joined the Chain.
"Shuffles, I voted for you the other day," added Paul.
"I know you did."
"I wish to change my vote."
"Change it!" exclaimed Shuffles.
"Yes? I voted in the dark. I wish now to vote for the other candidate."
"For whom?"
"For Pelham, of course."
"You are too late."
"I think, under the circumstances, that my vote ought to be counted onthe other side, even if it reverses the result," said Paul, earnestly.
"Why do you wish to vote for Pelham?" demanded Shuffles, rather becausehe had nothing else to say than because he was interested in theanticipated reply.
"I don't think it was quite fair for you to obtain my vote as you did."
"No matter for that. Do you think Pelham would make a better captainthan I should?"
"A better what?"
"Do you think he will command the ship any better than I shall."
"Command the ship!" repeated Paul, bewildered by this extraordinaryquestion. "I wasn't aware that either of you were to command the ship."
Shuffles, in his turn, was confounded when he found that the secondlieutenant was a member of the "Chain" without any knowledge of itsobjects. Though he had used all the precautions required by the League,a hint had unwittingly been given to Paul, whose simple integrityrendered him the most dangerous person on board to the interests of suchan institution as the Chain.
"Mr. Kendall, may I ask what you now suppose you were voting for?" askedShuffles, with easy assurance.
"For the orator of the day, of course," replied Paul, who was too freefrom wiles or arts to make any use of the advantage gained.
Indeed, he was so true himself that he was not suspicious of others; andhe did not even perceive that he had obtained an advantage.
"Exactly so," added Shuffles; "for orator of the day? but we don't speakthe idea out loud, or call it by its proper name."
"What did you mean by commanding the ship, Shuffles?" laughed Kendall.
"I meant orator of the day. We keep this thing to ourselves," addedShuffles, who had no idea what was meant by his companion.
"Of course; I understand all about that," said Paul, knowingly. "I don'tthink I had any right to vote; and in my opinion the trick you played onPelham was decidedly wrong."
"It was merely a joke," answered Shuffles.
"But do you intend to use the advantage you gained by this trick?"
"Certainly not."
"I'm very glad of that."
"It was only for the fun of the thing," added Shuffles at a venture.
"It may have been funny; but I don't think it was honest."
"I didn't intend to make any use of it," continued Shuffles. "What didMr. Pelham say to you, Mr. Kendall?"
"He told me all about it," replied Paul.
"Did he, indeed?"
"He said that you, by causing me to vote, had made me a member."
"Just so."
Shuffles did not dare to say much, though it was evident, from the wordsand the manner of the second lieutenant, that Pelham had not yetbetrayed the real object of the Chain. If he had, the captain elect wassatisfied he would have been in irons, confined in the brig, before thattime.
"I told Mr. Pelham I fully approved the purpose, and would help him outwith it."
"What purpose?" asked Shuffles, anxious to know what Paul meant.
"Why, don't you know?"
"Of course I do; but I wish to know precisely what Mr. Pelham told you."
"He will tell you himself," laughed Paul, as he walked aft, in order toafford the other "outsiders" who had voted an opportunity to communicatewith Shuffles, for he perceived that they were waiting their turns.
As the second lieutenant went aft, the captain went forward on the leeside of the deck.
"Shuffles!" called Captain Gordon, as the chief conspirator was goingforward.
The captain elect turned and walked towards the commander, and touchedhis cap with becoming respect.
"What do you think of the weather?" demanded Captain Gordon, scratchingthe tip of his nose.
Paul had instructed the "outsiders" to talk about the weather while theywent through with the mystic routine of the signs.
"I think we shall have good weather," replied Shuffles, who, though hewas confounded and amazed to be saluted from this quarter with thelanguage of the "Chain," dared not refuse to give the signs, after hehad done so with the second lieutenant.
"I wish to change my vote? for I don't think it was fairly givenbefore," said the captain, when he had gone through all the forms of therecognition.
"Certainly, Captain Gordon, if you desire to do so."
Fortunately for Shuffles, the captain did not prolong the conversation;for others were waiting an opportunity to make themselves known to theconspirator. One after another, they saluted Shuffles in the waist,inquiring about the weather, and making the requisite signs. The captainelect was filled with indignation and rage against Pelham, who hadplayed off this trick upon him; but he was compelled to meet all whocame, and go through the signs with them, while the "outsiders,"scattered about the deck, stood watching the motions with intensedelight. He would fain have fled, but he could not leave the deck; andhe was afraid that any impatience, or a refusal to answer the signs,would involve him in a worse difficulty.
At last the nine illegal voters had "made themselves known," and havingrequested that their votes might be changed, Shuffles was released fromtorture. He was both alarmed and indignant. He had not been able toascertain what was meant by "the orator of the day;" and he began tofear that Pelham had exposed the whole, or a part, of the real purposesof the League. He was enraged that he had revealed anything. Even thecaptain and the second lieutenant had made all the signs, and they couldnot have done so without the assistance of a traitor.
"It's all up with us, Wilton," said Shuffles, as they met near theforemast.
"What is?"
"Pelham has blowed the whole thing."
"No!" exclaimed Wilton, almost paralyzed by the information.
"He has. The captain and several of the officers made all the signs tome just now. We shall spend our time in the brig for the next month."
"Did Pelham do it?"
"Yes."
"That was mean," added Wilton, his face pale with terror.
"He will fall overboard accidentally some day," added Shuffles, shakinghis head.
"Don't do that, Shuffles," protested the frightened confederate.
"I will, if I get a chance."
"You will only make the matter ten times worse than it is."
Monroe joined them, and was informed of the desperate situation of theLeague.
"It's all your fault, Shuffles," said Monroe, indignantly "I don't blamePelham."
"You don't! He has told a dozen outsiders how to make the signs, and letthem into the secrets of the Chain, for all I know."
"If he has, we may thank you for it, Shuffles. You cheated him, andplayed a mean trick upon him," replied Monroe. "I wouldn't have stood itif I had been he."
"Pelham is a traitor, and you are another."
"No matter what he is, or what I am. You got all those fellows to votefor you, and cheated him out of the place that belonged to him."
"Did you think I was going to have him captain, after I had got up theChain, and done all the work?"
"You agreed to leave it out to the fellows who should be captain. Theyvoted, and you cheated," added Monroe. "I've had enough of the Chain;and if any fellow makes the signs again, I shall not notice them."
"Humph! It's a pretty time to talk so, after the whole thing is letout."
"Well, I will face the music, and get out of it the best way I can. Iwas a fool to join the Chain."
"So was I," said Wilton.
There was no difficulty in arriving at such a conclusion after theaffair had been exposed; and the sentiments of Wilton and Monroe were,or would soon be, the sentiments of all the members of the League.Shuffles realized the truth of the old adage, that rats desert a sinkingship, and he began to feel lonely in his guilt and his fear of exposure.But he could not forgive Pelham for his perfidy, forgetting that eachhad been treacherous to the other.
In the first dog watch on that day, while Shuffles' heart was stillrankling with hatred towards the alleged traitor, the rivals met in thewaist, which was common ground to officers off duty and seamen.
"I want to see you, Pelham," said Shuffles, in a low tone.
"Well, you do see me--don't you?" laughed Pelham who, feeling that hewas now even with his rival, was in excellent humor.
"Things are going wrong with us."
"O, no; I think not."
"Will you meet me on the top-gallant forecastle, where we shall not bedisturbed?" asked Shuffles.
"That is not exactly the place for an officer."
"You are off duty, and you can go where you please."
"What do you want of me?"
"I want to have an understanding."
"I suppose you think we have too many members--don't you?" asked Pelham,lightly.
"The more the better."
"I'll meet you there."
Shuffles went to the place designated at once, where he was soonfollowed by the fourth lieutenant.
"Well, Shuffles, what is it?" demanded Pelham, as, with one hand on thesheet of the fore-topmast staysail, he looked over the bow at the bonein the teeth of the ship.
"What is it? Don't you know what it is?" replied Shuffles, angrily.
"Upon my life, I don't know."
"You have been a traitor," exclaimed Shuffles, with savage earnestness.
"O! have I?"
"You know you have."
"Perhaps you would be willing to tell me wherein I have been a traitor,"added Pelham, laughing; for he was enjoying the scene he had witnessedin the waist, when, one after another, the "outsiders" had made thesigns to his rival.
"You have betrayed the secrets of the Chain."
"Have I?"
"Didn't you give the signs to Paul Kendall, the captain, and half adozen others?"
"But, my dear fellow, they are members," replied Pelham, chuckling.
"They are not? and you know they are not."
"But, Shuffles, just consider that all of them voted for you."
"I don't care for that."
"I do. You recognized them as members first, and I couldn't do less thanyou did."
"You are a traitor!" said Shuffles, red in the face with passion; andthe word hissed through his closed teeth.
"Well, just as you like: we won't quarrel about the meaning of words,"replied Pelham, gayly; for he enjoyed the discomfiture of his rival, andfelt that Shuffles deserved all he got, for the foul play of which hehad been guilty on the ballot.
"You pledged yourself to be honest, and stand by the vote, fair orfoul."
"Very true, my dear fellow? and I do so. Give me your orders, and I willobey them."
"But you have exposed the whole thing," retorted Shuffles. "What can wedo now, when Kendall and the captain know all about it?"
"They don't know any more than the law allows. Besides, they aremembers. Didn't they vote for you? Didn't they know beans?" continuedPelham, in the most tantalizing of tones.
"Do you mean to insult me?" demanded Shuffles, unable to control hisrage.
"Not I. I respect you too much. You are the captain--that is to be--ofthe ship," laughed Pelham. "The captain, the second lieutenant, and allthe flunkies, voted for you? and, of course, I couldn't be so deficientin politeness as to insult one who----"
At that moment Pelham removed his hand from the sheet, and Shuffles,irritated beyond control at the badinage of his companion, gave him asudden push, and the fourth lieutenant went down into the surges, underthe bow of the ship.
As Pelham disappeared beneath the waves, Shuffles was appalled at hisown act; for even he had not sunk so low as to contemplate murder. Thedeed was not premeditated. It was done on the spur of angry excitement,which dethroned his reason. The chief conspirator had so often and solightly used the language of the League, about "falling overboardaccidentally," that he had become familiar with the idea; and, perhaps,the deed seemed less terrible to him than it really was. When the actwas done, on the impulse of the moment, he realized his own situation,and that of his victim. He would have given anything at that instant, ashe looked down upon the dark waves, to have recalled the deed; but itwas too late. Self-reproach and terror overwhelmed him.
"Man overboard!" he shouted with desperation, as he threw off hispea-jacket, and dived, head foremost, from the forecastle into the sea.
His first impulse had been to do a foul deed; his next, to undo it.Shuffles was a powerful swimmer. The ocean was his element. He struckthe water hardly an instant after Pelham; and the ship, which was underall sail, making nine knots, hurried on her course, leaving the rivalsto buffet the waves unaided.
"Man overboard!" cried officers and seamen, on all parts of the ship'sdeck.
"Hard down the helm, quartermaster! Let go the life-buoys!" shoutedKendall, who was the officer of the deck.
"Hard down, sir. Buoy overboard," replied Bennington the quartermasterat the helm.
"Clear away the third cutter!" added Kendall.
The orders were rapidly given for backing the main-topsail, while thecourses were clewed up; but the ship went on a considerable distancebefore her headway could be arrested.
When Pelham went down into the water, he had been injured by the fall;and though he struck out to save himself, it was not with his usualskill and vigor; for, like his companion in the water, he was a goodswimmer. Shuffles had struck the waves in proper attitude, and was incondition to exert all his powers when he came to the surface. He swamtowards Pelham, intent upon rendering him the assistance he mightrequire.
"Do you mean to drown me?" gasped Pelham, who supposed his rival hadfollowed him overboard for the purpose of completing his work.
"I mean to save you, Pelham," replied Shuffles. "Can you swim?"
"I'm hurt."
"Give me your hand, and I will support you."
Shuffles took the offered hand of Pelham, who was able to swim a little,and supported him till they could reach the life-buoy, which had beendropped from the stern of the ship when the alarming cry was given.
"Where are you hurt?" asked Shuffles, as soon as they had grasped thebuoy.
"My stomach struck the water," replied Pelham, faintly.
The third cutter had been lowered into the water as soon as the ship'sheadway was stopped, and was now within a few yards of the buoy.
"Wi
ll you forgive me, Pelham? I was beside myself," said Shuffles, whenhis companion had recovered breath after his exertions.
"You have saved me, Shuffles. I should have gone down without you."
"Will you forgive me?" pleaded the penitent. "I did not mean to injureyou."
"Never mind it; we won't say a word about it," answered Pelham, as theboat came up.
They were assisted into the cutter, and the oarsmen pulled back to theship. When the party reached the deck, a cheer burst from a portion ofthe crew; but Wilton, Monroe, and a few others, believing that Pelhamhad "fallen overboard accidentally," were appalled at the probableconsequences of the event.
Pelham was assisted to the after cabin, where Dr. Winstock immediatelyattended him. He was not seriously injured; and the next day he was ableto be on deck, and do duty.
"How was that?" asked Wilton, when Shuffles had changed his clothes, andwarmed himself at the stove, as they met in the waist.
Shuffles looked sad and solemn. He made no reply.
"Did he fall overboard accidentally?" demanded Wilton.
"Don't ask me."
"You jumped in after him, and saved him, they say," added Wilton; "so, Isuppose, it was really an accident."
Shuffles still made no reply.
