When Pelham came on deck, on the day after the exciting event, he
greeted Shuffles with his accustomed suavity, and seemed not to bear any
malice in his heart against the author of his misfortune. Officers and
seamen as well as the principal and the professors, congratulated him
upon his escape from the peril which had menaced him; and all commended
Shuffles for his prompt and noble efforts in rescuing him. Pelham
dissented from none of their conclusions, and was as generous in his
praise of the deliverer as the occasion required.

Shuffles was rather astonished to find himself a lion on board, and at
being specially thanked by Mr. Lowington for his humane exertions in
saving a shipmate. He was so warmly and so generously commended that he
almost reached the conclusion himself that he had done a good thing. He
was not satisfied with himself. He was in the power of Pelham, who, by a
word, could change the current of popular sentiment and arraign him for
the gravest of crimes. If the fourth lieutenant spoke, Shuffles realized
that he should be shunned and despised, as well as hated and feared, by
all on board the ship. It was quite natural, therefore, for him to
desire a better understanding with Pelham.

The League had fallen into contempt, at least for the present. Even "our
fellows" would not have spirit enough to strike the blow; besides, the
terrible gulf from which Shuffles had just escaped was too vivid in his
mind to permit him to place himself on the brink of another. So far the
reaction was salutary.

"When may I see you, Mr. Pelham?" said Shuffles as they came together in
the waist.

"We will visit the top-gallant forecastle again, and see if we can
understand how I happened to fall overboard for really I'm not in the
habit of doing such things," replied Pelham, with a smile.

They walked forward together, and mounted the ladder to the place
indicated.

"Shuffles, I never paid much attention to the snapper of the toggle
before, and never supposed it meant anything in particular," continued
Pelham, as he placed himself in the position he had occupied before he
went over the bow. "Am I in any danger now?"

"No, Pelham, no!" replied Shuffles, earnestly. "You provoked me so by
your cool taunts that I pushed you over before I thought what I was
about."

"Did you really mean to drown me?"

"Upon my soul, I did not. If you knew how I felt when I saw you strike
the water, and realized what I had done, you wo