“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.

“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.

“It was when the captain voted,” replied the receiver.

“The captain!” exclaimed Pelham.

“Yes.”

“Do you mean Captain Gordon, McKeon?” asked Pelham, with intense surprise.

“Of course I do."’

“All the officers of the first part of the port watch voted,” added Grossbeck.

“They did!” exclaimed Pelham.

“Well, was it any stranger that the officers of the first part of the port watch voted, than it was that those of the second part did so?” inquired Shuffles, with earnestness.

“I think it was,” replied Pelham, decidedly.

“Paul Kendall was one of them,” said McKeon.

“Paul Kendall!  Does any fellow suppose he has joined the Chain?” demanded the defeated candidate.

“Why not?”

“And Captain Gordon?”

“Why not?”

“How did the captain vote?” asked Pelham.

“No matter how he voted,” said Shuffles, indignantly “I protest against this raking up of matters which are already settled.”

“He voted beans,” replied McKeon, who, it is hardly necessary to add, was a Pelham man.

“Then he is one of your friends, Shuffles,” continued Pelham, who was beginning to understand how his rival had been elected.

“I don’t claim him.”

“Did you take the captain into the Chain, Shuffles?”

“I won’t answer,” replied the captain elect.

“If Captain Gordon and Paul Kendall are members, I would like to know it.  I am first officer of the ship under the new order of things, and if I command Gordon to do anything, I mean that he shall obey me.”