Pelham.

"Have you? So have I."

"Well, what is your plan? If it is better than mine, I am willing to
adopt it."

"I was thinking, as you and I are the only candidates that each of us
might be represented by one side of the ship. You shall be port, and I
will be starboard Then every link in the Chain shall hand his vote, on
which shall be written the single word port or starboard either to you
or me; and if there are more port than starboard, you will be captain;
if more starboard than port, I shall be captain! How does that idea
strike you?"

"Pretty well; but the fellows have all got to write their votes, and
others will want to know what it means. It will set outsiders to
thinking, and I don't believe the plan is quite safe."

"Well, what is your method?" asked Shuffles, who was willing to
acknowledge the force of his rival's objections.

"Perhaps my plan is as open to objection as yours," answered Pelham;
"but it will require no writing. Each of us shall get a handful of beans
and a handful of peas. We can easily obtain them when the store rooms
are opened. You shall be beans, and I will be peas."

"How are you, Peas?" said Shuffles, laughing at the idea.

"How are you, Beans?" added Pelham.

"Go on with your soup."

"We will give to every fellow belonging to the Chain one pea and one
bean."

"I understand the plan now; but where are the fellows to deposit their
vegetable ballots?"

"We can have a receiver; appoint some good fellow for the purpose--say,
Greenway, the captain of the forecastle; or Tom Ellis, the third
master."

"Tom Ellis! Does he belong?"

"Of course he does," laughed Pelham, who realized that he had been a
little too fast in betraying the strength of his faction.

"I wouldn't appoint an officer."

"Well, you mention some fellow," said the politic Pelham.

"Say Wilton."

"Mention another."

"Lynch."

"No; try again."

"Grossbeck."

"Very well; I will agree to him."

"But he might make some mistake."

"If he does, it will be in your favor, I suppose; for you nominated him,
and, of course, he will give you the benefit of any doubt," replied
Pelham.

"I want a fellow who will do it fairly. I don't wish to get in by any
mistake," said Shuffles, magnanimously.

"Neither do I? and I don't think there will be any mistakes."

"There is a chance for a great many. The fellows may get mixed between
beans and peas. When they come to vote, there will be some who don't
know