“I think you are more than half right,” replied Shuffles, who was confident that he should be the person chosen to arrange the plans and issue the commands.

“I know I am wholly right,” added Pelham, who was equally confident that he should enjoy the undivided sway of the League.  “If you are chosen captain I will cheerfully obey your orders.  I go a step farther:  whoever is elected captain should appoint his own officers.”

“I will agree to that also,” replied the complaisant Shuffles.

“Very well, then; the understanding is, that when one of us is elected captain, he shall appoint his own officers, and do all the planning and all the commanding,” answered Pelham.

“Exactly so; we are now in about longitude thirty-one, and Cork Harbor is in longitude eight, according to Bowditch, for I was looking the matter up in the steerage to-day.  We have to make about twenty-three degrees more.  A degree of longitude, in latitude fifty-one, is thirty-seven and three quarters miles, which would make it eight hundred and sixty-eight miles more to run in order to reach Queenstown.  You see I am posted,” said Shuffles.

“I see you are.  By the way, had you noticed that Queenstown is not in the Navigator, or on the older maps?” added Pelham.

“Yes; the place was called the Cove of Cork until 1849, when, in honor of her majesty’s visit to the town, the name was changed to Queenstown.”

“All right,” said Pelham.

It need not be supposed that the distance to Queenstown and the change in the name of that place had anything to do with the League.  The fact was, that Mr. Fluxion had passed near the conspirators, and had paused a moment in the waist to glance up at the fore-top-gallant sail, which was not in good trim; and the conversation had been changed to suit the occasion.  In talking of the affairs of the “Chain,” it was required that one of the party should look forward, and the other aft, if there were two of them; and that the third, if there were three, should stand back to the nearest rail.  It was further required that the conversation should not take place in a situation where it would be possible for any one to overhear them.  The lee side of the waist,—­the midshipman of the watch always being on the weather side,—­the top-gallant forecastle, and the tops were the favorite resorts of the conspirators.  If any one approached, the parties in conversation were instantly to change the topic, as Shuffles had done.

“I think it is about time for the election to take place,” continued Shuffles, when Mr. Fluxion had gone aft.

“Whenever you are ready, I am,” replied Pelham.

“I am ready now.”

“So am I.”

“Very well; it shall come off to-morrow, say.”

“To-morrow it is, then.”

“But how shall it be conducted?” asked Shuffles.

“That will not be an easy matter.  I think, however we can hit upon some plan for having it fairly done.”