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Page 18
When the students turned in that night, the wire-pullers had found a
sufficient number of candidates for all the offices on the terms set
forth in the compact, each of whom had promised to use his influence for
the entire ticket. Shuffles had made a very pretty calculation, to the
effect that each of the fifteen candidates could influence at least two
votes besides his own for the ticket, which would inevitably elect it.
But during all this time Paul Kendall had been laboring like a Trojan
for Carnes, and had induced his friends to do the same.
At nine-o'clock in the morning, the polls were opened for the election
of officers. A box was placed on the fife-rail, at the mainmast, in
which the ballots were deposited, under the inspection of Professor
Mapps.
"Have all the students voted?" called the professor, when the voting
was suspended. "If so, I declare the poll closed."
It was a moment of intense excitement on the spar deck of the Young
America when Mr. Lowington stood up on the hatch to announce the vote.
There was a pleasant smile upon his face, which indicated that it would
not be his painful duty to veto the choice of the independent electors.
"Young gentlemen, your balloting appears to have been conducted with
entire fairness," said he, "and I will proceed to declare the result.
Whole number of votes, eighty-seven; necessary to a choice, forty-four.
Paul Kendall has five; Charles Gordon has seven; Robert Shuffles has
twenty-two; Richard Carnes has fifty-three, and is elected captain of
the Young America for the succeeding three months."
The party who had worked and voted for Carnes applauded the result most
lustily, and gave three cheers for the new captain, which, on this
exciting occasion, were not objected to by the principal. Shuffles's jaw
dropped down, and his lip quivered with angry emotion.
"That little whipper-snapper of a Kendall did that," said Wilton, in a
low tone, to the disappointed candidate. "I was afraid of this when I
saw him blowing about the deck."
"I'll settle it with him when I get a good chance," growled Shuffles, as
he went to the rail and looked over into the water, in order to conceal
his disappointment and chagrin.
"Young gentlemen will bring in their votes for first lieutenant," said
Professor Mapps, as he placed the box on the fife-rail again.
The boys marched around the mainmast, and deposited their ballots for
the second officer, as they had done before. The friends of Shuffles
rallied again, hoping that something might yet come of the compact they
had made with him, and gave him their votes for first lieutenant,
though, in his chagrin, he declared that he would not accept the
position. Fortunately for him, he was not called upon to do so; for
Charles Gordon was elected by a very large majority. As the election
proceeded, it became evident that there was no office for Shuffles. Paul
Kendall was elected fourth lieutenant and the announcement of the vote
was greeted by even more hearty applause than had been bestowed upon the
captain.
At the conclusion of the balloting, Shuffles found that not a single one
of the wire-pullers, or of the candidates nominated by them, had been
elected. The attempt to bribe the independent voters, by giving them
office, had been a signal failure; and it is to be hoped that Young
America, when fully developed, will stick to his principles.
"Captain Richard Carnes," said Mr. Lowington, as he stepped upon the
hatch, after the voting had been concluded.
The young gentleman thus addressed came forward, blushing beneath the
honors which had been bestowed upon him. The principal took his hand.
"Captain Carnes, I congratulate you upon your election to the highest
office in the gift of your companions; and I congratulate your
fellow-students also upon having so good a young man to handle the ship.
You have been modest, and they have been wise. I congratulate you both.
Young gentlemen, I am satisfied that your captain will be just,
courteous, and gentlemanly, in his relations with you; and I hope you
will yield a willing and cheerful obedience to his orders, and to those
of all your superiors. Let me say that this business is not a farce; it
is not mere boys' play; for as soon as the officers and crew are fully
trained and instructed, all ship duty will be carried on without
assistance from me or others. When necessary, I shall advise the captain
what to do, but I shall not do it myself; neither shall I needlessly
interfere with the discipline of the ship.
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