Part 7 (1/2)
”Bob Shuffles will give it to you.”
”Give what to me?”
”Give you the biggest licking you ever had in your life,” answered Wilton, angrily, ”You are so stupid, you can't understand anything.”
”I think I can understand the licking, when if comes. That's a game that two can play at.”
”What do you mean, you little bantam? Do you think you can whip Bob Shuffles?”
”I had no idea of whipping him; and I have no idea of his whipping me, either.”
Kendall was s.p.u.n.ky. Wilton could make nothing of him by threats or persuasion; and he turned away from him to seek a more promising field of labor. Kendall took off his cap, scratched his head as he reflected upon the event which had just transpired, and made up his mind that it was an insult to an independent elector to attempt to buy his vote with the paltry consideration of an office. He was sorry that he had been even tempted by the proposition of the wire-pullers, and thankful that his sense of honor and decency had prompted him to decline it when asked to vote for an improper person. True to his promise, he made all haste to expose the conspiracy, as he regarded it, against Carnes.
When the students turned in that night, the wire-pullers had found a sufficient number of candidates for all the offices on the terms set forth in the compact, each of whom had promised to use his influence for the entire ticket. Shuffles had made a very pretty calculation, to the effect that each of the fifteen candidates could influence at least two votes besides his own for the ticket, which would inevitably elect it.
But during all this time Paul Kendall had been laboring like a Trojan for Carnes, and had induced his friends to do the same.
At nine-o'clock in the morning, the polls were opened for the election of officers. A box was placed on the fife-rail, at the mainmast, in which the ballots were deposited, under the inspection of Professor Mapps.
”Have all the students voted?” called the professor, when the voting was suspended. ”If so, I declare the poll closed.”
It was a moment of intense excitement on the spar deck of the Young America when Mr. Lowington stood up on the hatch to announce the vote.
There was a pleasant smile upon his face, which indicated that it would not be his painful duty to veto the choice of the independent electors.
”Young gentlemen, your balloting appears to have been conducted with entire fairness,” said he, ”and I will proceed to declare the result.
Whole number of votes, eighty-seven; necessary to a choice, forty-four.
Paul Kendall has five; Charles Gordon has seven; Robert Shuffles has twenty-two; Richard Carnes has fifty-three, and is elected captain of the Young America for the succeeding three months.”
The party who had worked and voted for Carnes applauded the result most l.u.s.tily, and gave three cheers for the new captain, which, on this exciting occasion, were not objected to by the princ.i.p.al. Shuffles's jaw dropped down, and his lip quivered with angry emotion.
”That little whipper-snapper of a Kendall did that,” said Wilton, in a low tone, to the disappointed candidate. ”I was afraid of this when I saw him blowing about the deck.”
”I'll settle it with him when I get a good chance,” growled Shuffles, as he went to the rail and looked over into the water, in order to conceal his disappointment and chagrin.
”Young gentlemen will bring in their votes for first lieutenant,” said Professor Mapps, as he placed the box on the fife-rail again.
The boys marched around the mainmast, and deposited their ballots for the second officer, as they had done before. The friends of Shuffles rallied again, hoping that something might yet come of the compact they had made with him, and gave him their votes for first lieutenant, though, in his chagrin, he declared that he would not accept the position. Fortunately for him, he was not called upon to do so; for Charles Gordon was elected by a very large majority. As the election proceeded, it became evident that there was no office for Shuffles. Paul Kendall was elected fourth lieutenant and the announcement of the vote was greeted by even more hearty applause than had been bestowed upon the captain.
At the conclusion of the balloting, Shuffles found that not a single one of the wire-pullers, or of the candidates nominated by them, had been elected. The attempt to bribe the independent voters, by giving them office, had been a signal failure; and it is to be hoped that Young America, when fully developed, will stick to his principles.
”Captain Richard Carnes,” said Mr. Lowington, as he stepped upon the hatch, after the voting had been concluded.
The young gentleman thus addressed came forward, blus.h.i.+ng beneath the honors which had been bestowed upon him. The princ.i.p.al took his hand.
”Captain Carnes, I congratulate you upon your election to the highest office in the gift of your companions; and I congratulate your fellow-students also upon having so good a young man to handle the s.h.i.+p.
You have been modest, and they have been wise. I congratulate you both.
Young gentlemen, I am satisfied that your captain will be just, courteous, and gentlemanly, in his relations with you; and I hope you will yield a willing and cheerful obedience to his orders, and to those of all your superiors. Let me say that this business is not a farce; it is not mere boys' play; for as soon as the officers and crew are fully trained and instructed, all s.h.i.+p duty will be carried on without a.s.sistance from me or others. When necessary, I shall advise the captain what to do, but I shall not do it myself; neither shall I needlessly interfere with the discipline of the s.h.i.+p.