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Page 125
"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 would forgive me."
"I have done that already, Shuffles."
"I would have given my own life for yours at that instant, Pelham."
"You saved me, after all, Shuffles. When I went over, I either hit the
side of the ship, or struck my stomach on the water, for all the breath
seemed to be knocked out of me. I hardly knew what I was about in the
water till I saw you. At first I supposed you had jumped overboard to
finish your job."
"You wronged me; I would have saved you, if I had been sure of perishing
myself."
"You did save me, and I am willing to let that act offset the other."
"I'm grateful to you for this, Pelham. You treat me better than I
deserve."
"Never mind it now; we will call it square," replied Pelham, lightly.
"How about the Chain, Shuffles? We shall be in sight of land by
to-morrow."
"We can't do anything now."
"Why not?"
"How can we? After what has happened, I will not reproach you for what
you did. You know how you provoked me. You have exposed the whole affair
to the officers."
"Not a bit of it."
"No."
"Certainly not. Did you ever know Augustus Pelham to violate his
obligations?" demanded Pelham with dignity.
"Never before; but the captain, the second lieutenant and seven others,
who would no more join the League than they would steal your
pocket-book, went through all the signs with me."
"They all voted too," laughed Pelham.
"I am willing to confess that I played off a mean trick upon you."
"And I have only made myself even with you. I have not betrayed a single
secret of the Chain to any one not posted--except the signs. If I had,
of course you and I would both have been in the brig before this time."
"I was puzzled to find nothing was said," added Shuffles.
"No one knows anything. The Chain is as perfect as ever. Give me your
orders, and I will carry them out."
"The fellows have backed out now."
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