Outward Bound Or, Young America Afloat: A Story of Travel and Adventure, Optic [best non fiction books of all time txt] 📗

Beans," Pelham, as officer of the deck, remained abaft the mizzenmast, and had failed to notice what was taking place in the waist. The officers who were off duty, and who had unconsciously voted for Shuffles, said nothing to those in charge of the ship. In accordance with the requirements of man-of-war discipline, the weather side of the deck was given up to the captain and the officers on duty, while all the idlers were required to keep on the lee side. Captain Gordon was a privileged person. On the weather side, even the denizens of the after {281} cabin did not presume to address him on any question not connected with the discipline of the ship. When he went over to the lee side, it was understood that he was simply a student, and even an ordinary seaman might speak to him when he walked forward.

Shuffles had explained the game to the outsiders on the lee side, out of the hearing of the officer of the deck; and Pelham, entirely satisfied that 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 than nothing, and Shuffles soon found that there was danger of his little scheme being exposed. During the second dog watch, at supper time, and as other opportunities were presented, he told Wilton, Monroe, Adler, and others, that the second lieutenant, seeing so many beans on the deck, wished to know where they came from, and that, to deceive him and the rest of the officers, he had invented the game which he described, and wished them to play while off duty on deck. "Our fellows" thought this was a good joke, and the new pastime was soon understood throughout the ship, and "butts" were appointed in each quarter watch to play it the next day.

"The fellows have all voted, I suppose," said Pelham when the party had obtained 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 {282} trick would be exposed before the result of the ballot was obtained.

"Well, let us have it counted at once," said Pelham, who, having no doubt of the result, had no thought of offering any objection to the fairness of the election.

"We can't count the votes here," suggested McKeon. "Some one would see us, 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 of any one."

"I will agree to anything that is fair," replied Shuffles.

"Grossbeck shall go forward, and McKeon aft as far as the mainmast, so that each cannot know what the other is about. They can count the votes separately 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 {283} there is a pocket on each side of them. Take out all the peas first, and put them in the right-hand pocket of your pea-jacket; then all the beans, and put them in 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 were careless, 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 throw him off the track."

"Good!" said Pelham. "But we must go on with the counting. When you have found the number of peas and of beans, you will write the result on a piece of paper, each of you. McKeon, you will hand your paper to Shuffles, and, Grossbeck, you will hand yours to me. That's fair—isn't it?"

"Certainly," replied Shuffles.

"Then we will put the two papers together; if they agree, the election is made; if they do not agree, we must do it all over again," continued Pelham.

"All right," added Shuffles.

The two receivers were sent away to count the votes. As one went forward, and the other aft, and the two "Shackles" stood between, no communication whatever could pass from one to the other. It was {284} now quite dark, and most of those off duty had turned in, for the students had become so well accustomed to sea life that they could sleep whenever their presence was not required on deck.

"I hope this thing will be settled now once for all," said Pelham, who feared 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 spite of the mutual "toggling," and the mutual assurances of good faith, had some doubts whether his rival would be willing to accept the result.

"Well, I don't know," replied Shuffles, cautiously, and with the same want of confidence which disturbed his companion. "There is no knowing who will be governor till after election."

"Of course not, but you might have some idea of the way the thing is going?"

"I might, but what's the use of talking when we shall know all about it in 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 without the 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 {285} again to abide the result of the vote, whether it is for me or against me," continued Pelham, 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 good many. Pelham, do you know this is very shaky business?"

"Shaky?"

"Yes—between you and me, I mean. If either of us should back down, the whole thing would fall to the ground."

"Back down!" exclaimed Pelham. "Why, after what has passed between us, I consider 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—fall overboard accidentally."

"So do I," replied Shuffles, heartily.

"My dear fellow, if you should back out, I should be mad enough to help you 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 break your agreement. One of us is doomed to disappointment. We have tried to make this thing as fair as possible." {286}

"Certainly we have, and it will be as fair as anything can be. I am entirely satisfied with the voting."

"Are you?"

"Of course I am."

Shuffles was very glad of this acknowledgment in advance of the reception of the result.

"But, after all, Pelham," said he, "there may be an appearance of unfairness in the voting, after the result is declared."

"There may be; but each of us is pledged not to claim anything on account of such an appearance. If the figures of the two receivers agree, that is the end of the whole thing, and you or I will be the captain."

"That's so; but here comes McKeon," replied Shuffles, as the receiver gave him the paper on which the result of the votes he had received was written.

It was too dark to see it, and the rivals waited, in great excitement of mind, for the appearance of Grossbeck. He came, and his paper was handed to Pelham. The conditions of the agreement had now all been complied with, and the two papers were to be placed side by side, where both of the candidates could see them at the same instant. It was necessary, in the darkness, to obtain the use of a light for a moment and they decided to wait till the midshipman on duty in the waist went into the steerage to make the half-hourly inspection.

When one bell struck, the officer left his post, and the conspirators walked up to the binnacle in the waist. By raising one of the slides in the side of the machine, the lamp which threw its light on the face {287} of the compass would enable them to examine the papers.

"Hold your paper by the side of mine," said Pelham as he placed the important document in a position to receive the light from the binnacle when the slide should be moved.

"Open it," replied Shuffles, nervously, as he complied with the direction of his rival.

Pelham raised the slide, and the contents of the papers were read by both.

Peas,........19

Beans,........22

The results given in by the two receivers were the same, and by the terms of the bond, it was an election.

"Shut the slide," said Shuffles.

"Who opened that binnacle?" demanded the first master, walking aft from his station on the forecastle.

"I did, sir," replied Shuffles, unwilling to permit the fourth lieutenant to answer the question. "We were looking at some figures I had made."

The master, finding that the fourth lieutenant was one of the party gathered 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 any question about the fairness of the ballot."

"I don't say a word about its fairness; I only said {288} I did not understand it," answered Pelham, in surly tones.

"I don't understand it any better than you do; but the point just now is, whether you acknowledge me as captain, or not."

"Of course I do. When I pledge myself to do a thing, I always do it, I hail you as captain."

"All right," added Shuffles. "Then nothing more need be said. You have kept 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?" demanded Shuffles.

"Entirely satisfied with the result;" but he talked like one who was anything 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 was conducted on a plan furnished by yourself; the receivers were of your own choice; the results agree; and I can't see, for the life of me, that there is any chance to find fault."

"I don't find fault. The result perplexes me, because I can't see through it."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I don't see where your twenty-two votes came from." {289}

"And I don't see where your nineteen came from," retorted the successful candidate.

"The whole number of votes was forty-one," added Pelham, who was quite sure 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 set aside 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 in my 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, with Grossbeck, had been walking back and forth in the waist.

"No matter what took you all aback," added Shuffles sharply. "The question is settled; what's the use of raking up every thing that may seem to be strange?"

"What was it that took you aback, McKeon?" demanded Pelham.{290}

"It was when the captain voted," replied the receiver.

"The captain!" exclaimed Pelham.

"Yes."

"Do