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Page 105
"After dinner to-morrow afternoon. Every fellow will be off duty an hour
in the first or second dog watch," replied Pelham, who seemed to have an
answer ready for every question. "The polls shall be kept open till
eight o'clock. The peas and beans shall be distributed before eight
bells in the forenoon watch, so that every fellow will be ready to
vote."
"Where will Grossbeck stand when he receives the ballots?"
"He won't stand anywhere in particular. We will see him together, and
give him his instructions. I think it will be better for him to walk
about the ship, and let the fellows hand him the votes on the sly, which
he must put in his pocket. He shall count them in the presence of both
of us."
"Suppose he should lose some of them?" suggested Shuffles.
"If he does, he is as likely to lose peas as beans."
"I don't want to be chosen in any such manner as by the loss of the
votes."
"I can't see that there is any more danger of his losing them than there
is of his losing his head. I see you are not entirely satisfied with the
plan."
"To tell you the truth, Pelham, I am not. There is, at least, a chance
for mistakes."
"I'm willing to do anything you like, that will make the election a
fairer one."
"I have it!" exclaimed Shuffles. "We can give each fellow two peas and
two beans, and let him vote twice."
"What good will that do?"
"I'll tell you. We want another receiver; then let each fellow vote
twice, giving a pea or a bean to both of the receivers. If the two
results don't agree, it shall not be an election."
"That's a first-rate idea, Shuffles, and I go in for it with all my
might," replied Pelham, with so much warmth that his companion was put
in the best of humor. "Who shall be the other receiver?"
"Name some one," said Shuffles, generously conceding the nomination to
his confederate.
"Perth."
"No."
Shuffles objected because Pelham had done so when he had mentioned two
names.
"Richton."
"Once more."
"McKeon."
"Right. McKeon is an honest, careful fellow," added Shuffles. "Now I
think there can be no mistake."
The minor details of the election were carefully arranged, and the boys
went below again. They gave satisfactory replies to the first
lieutenant, who questioned them in regard to the steamer they had gone
aloft to examine. Pelham thought she was a "Cunarder," but Shuffles was
confident she belonged to the Inman line; and it is quite certain
neither of them had any opinion whatever in regard to her, except that
she was going west; for the red light on her port side was visible.
On the following day, Grossbeck and McKeon, the receivers who had been
appointed, were waited upon, separately, by the two "Shackles." They
accepted the important trust which was confided to them, and each was
duly and solemnly admonished of the necessity of entire fairness. They
were informed that any discrepancy in the number of ballots in the hands
of the two receivers would cause the vote to be rejected; and they
individually promised to be both faithful and careful.
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