t of the latter. But the parallel
on which both points lie would not be the shortest line between them. A
great circle, extending entirely around the earth in the broadest part,
going through both, would not coincide with the parallel, but would run
to the north of it a considerable distance at a point half way between
the two places, the separation diminishing each way till the great
circle crosses the parallel at Cape Race and La Rochelle. The shortest
course between the two points, therefore, would be the arc of the great
circle lying between them. A skilful navigator would find and follow
this track. This is called great circle sailing.

The Young America followed a great circle from Cape Race to Cape Clear.
Off the former point, her course was two points north of east; off the
latter, it was half a point south of east. On her twentieth day out she
sailed due east.

After the excitement of the wreck and the departure of the passengers,
Shuffles and his confederates resumed their operations in the Chain
League, assisted somewhat by a case of discipline which occurred at this
time. When the ship was sixteen days out the Chain consisted of
thirty-one links, in the cabalistic language of the conspirators, and
Shuffles was in favor of striking the blow.

CHAPTER XVII.

PEAS AND BEANS.

The business of the Chain had been managed with extreme caution by the
conspirators, and more than one third of the crew had been initiated
without the knowledge of the principal and professors, or of the
officers and seamen who were not members. Pelham and Shuffles ordered
the affairs of the League, and no "link" was allowed to approach an
outsider for the purpose of inducing him to join without the consent of
one of these worthies.

As the scheme progressed, various modifications had been made in the
plan to adapt it to circumstances, the principal of which was the choice
of two "shackles," who should be deemed the officers of the League until
a regular election had taken place. By this invention, Shuffles and
Pelham had been enabled to compromise their differences, for they
assumed the newly-created offices, and labored as equals in the bad
cause. Each endeavored to make as many new "links" as possible, for
already the conspirators consisted of two factions, one of which favored
the election of Shuffles, and the other that of Pelham, to the
captaincy. Each, in a measure, controlled his own recruits, and was
reasonably su