"Don't know
Beans," Pelham, as officer of the deck, remained abaft the mizzenmast,
and had failed to notice what was taking place in the waist. The
officers who were off duty, and who had unconsciously voted for
Shuffles, said nothing to those in charge of the ship. In accordance
with the requirements of man-of-war discipline, the weather side of the
deck was given up to the captain and the officers on duty, while all the
idlers were required to keep on the lee side. Captain Gordon was a
privileged person. On the weather side, even the denizens of the after
cabin did not presume to address him on any question not connected with
the discipline of the ship. When he went over to the lee side, it was
understood that he was simply a student, and even an ordinary seaman
might speak to him when he walked forward.

Shuffles had explained the game to the outsiders on the lee side, out of
the hearing of the officer of the deck; and Pelham, entirely satisfied
that he was already elected, did not trouble himself about the matter.

If "Don't know Beans" was not much of a game, it was better than
nothing, and Shuffles soon found that there was danger of his little
scheme being exposed. During the second dog watch, at supper time, and
as other opportunities were presented, he told Wilton, Monroe, Adler,
and others, that the second lieutenant, seeing so many beans on the
deck, wished to know where they came from, and that, to deceive him and
the rest of the officers, he had invented the game which he described,
and wished them to play while off duty on deck. "Our fellows" thought
this was a good joke, and the new pastime was soon understood throughout
the ship, and "butts" were appointed in each quarter watch to play it
the next day.

"The fellows have all voted, I suppose," said Pelham when the party had
obtained a good position for the conference.

"The time is out, whether they have or not," replied Grossbeck.

"All we have to do now is to count the votes," added Shuffles,
impatiently, for he was afraid his little trick would be exposed before
the result of the ballot was obtained.

"Well, let us have it counted at once," said Pelham, who, having no
doubt of the result, had no thought of offering any objection to the
fairness of the election.

"We can't count the votes here," suggested McKeon. "Some one would see
us, and want to know what we were doing."

"I can't leave the deck; I'm on duty," replied Shuffles.

"Let the