“No!” exclaimed Wilton, almost paralyzed by the information.

“He has.  The captain and several of the officers made all the signs to me just now.  We shall spend our time in the brig for the next month.”

“Did Pelham do it?”

“Yes.”

“That was mean,” added Wilton, his face pale with terror.

“He will fall overboard accidentally some day,” added Shuffles, shaking his head.

“Don’t do that, Shuffles,” protested the frightened confederate.

“I will, if I get a chance.”

“You will only make the matter ten times worse than it is.”

Monroe joined them, and was informed of the desperate situation of the League.

“It’s all your fault, Shuffles,” said Monroe, indignantly “I don’t blame Pelham.”

“You don’t!  He has told a dozen outsiders how to make the signs, and let them into the secrets of the Chain, for all I know.”

“If he has, we may thank you for it, Shuffles.  You cheated him, and played a mean trick upon him,” replied Monroe.  “I wouldn’t have stood it if I had been he.”

“Pelham is a traitor, and you are another.”

“No matter what he is, or what I am.  You got all those fellows to vote for you, and cheated him out of the place that belonged to him.”

“Did you think I was going to have him captain, after I had got up the Chain, and done all the work?”

“You agreed to leave it out to the fellows who should be captain.  They voted, and you cheated,” added Monroe.  “I’ve had enough of the Chain; and if any fellow makes the signs again, I shall not notice them.”

“Humph!  It’s a pretty time to talk so, after the whole thing is let out.”

“Well, I will face the music, and get out of it the best way I can.  I was a fool to join the Chain.”

“So was I,” said Wilton.

There was no difficulty in arriving at such a conclusion after the affair had been exposed; and the sentiments of Wilton and Monroe were, or would soon be, the sentiments of all the members of the League.  Shuffles realized the truth of the old adage, that rats desert a sinking ship, and he began to feel lonely in his guilt and his fear of exposure.  But he could not forgive Pelham for his perfidy, forgetting that each had been treacherous to the other.

In the first dog watch on that day, while Shuffles’ heart was still rankling with hatred towards the alleged traitor, the rivals met in the waist, which was common ground to officers off duty and seamen.

“I want to see you, Pelham,” said Shuffles, in a low tone.

“Well, you do see me—­don’t you?” laughed Pelham who, feeling that he was now even with his rival, was in excellent humor.

“Things are going wrong with us.”

“O, no; I think not.”

“Will you meet me on the top-gallant forecastle, where we shall not be disturbed?” asked Shuffles.

“That is not exactly the place for an officer.”