Part 49 (2/2)
”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 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.”
”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.
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