“Of course the matter lies between you and me,” added Shuffles.

“To be sure.”

“I suppose both of us are ready to abide the issue, whatever it may be,” said Shuffles, who was not a little fearful that his powerful rival would refuse to acknowledge him when he was chosen, as he confidently expected to be.

“I pledge you my word and honor, that I will obey you in all things if you are fairly elected captain,” replied Pelham, who was equally sure of being chosen himself.

“Fairly?  Who is to decide whether it is fairly done or not?” demanded Shuffles, unwilling to leave a loop-hole through which his companion could crawl out of the bargain.

“When we have agreed upon the means of electing the captain, the choice shall be final.”

“Good!  You and I shall have no difficulty!” exclaimed Shuffles, rather astonished to find his rival so easily managed, as he regarded it.

“We will make it a little more binding, if you choose,” suggested Pelham, who, the reader has already been assured by the figures given, was completely outwitting the author and inventor of the Chain League.

“With all my heart!”

“We will toggle each other on this special question if you like.”

“The stronger we make the bond the better,” said Shuffles.  “Repeat after me.”

“Not here, Shuffles.  There is a steamer on our weather bow.  Let’s go up into the mizzentop, and have a look at her with a night glass.”

Mr. Haven, the first lieutenant, who was in charge of the deck, permitted them to go aloft with the glass, for the officers were empowered to grant small favors.  On reaching the top, they glanced at the steamer, and then resumed the conversation which had been suspended on deck, it being too dark for the officers below to see what they were doing.

“Now go ahead,” said Pelham.

“Repeat after me.”

“All right.”

“I promise, without any reservation, to acknowledge Shuffles as captain, if he is chosen, and faithfully to obey his orders, on penalty of falling overboard accidentally.”

Pelham repeated these words, and then “toggled” his rival in the same manner.

“Now we understand each other perfectly, and there will be no chance of dragging the anchor,” said Shuffles, satisfied that his sway would be undisputed.  “Let me say, in addition to this, that if I should happen to be chosen, I shall make you my first officer, Pelham.”

“And I will make you my first officer, if I should happen to be chosen,” replied the obliging Pelham.  “Of course I don’t expect to be chosen; you have had the swing of this affair, and you will have all the advantage.”

“No, I think not; you are an officer now, and you have more influence than I have,” added the modest Shuffles.