"Does any one object to it?" asked Mr. Lowington.
Cantwell looked at Scott, but the latter shook his head.
"If there is any objection, I desire to hear it now."
No one offered any objection.
"There being no opposition, with the understanding on my part that unanimous consent is given to the plan, I will adopt it—"
Violent applause on the part of the officers and others interrupted the principal, which was silenced by a stroke of the bell.
"I will adopt it with an amendment," added Mr. Lowington. "I will explain the amendment. By the new plan, the offices of commodore, captain, and lieutenant are made elective within certain limits. The commodore must be elected from the three captains; the captain must be chosen from the cabin officers of the vessel to which he belongs. Now suppose, for example, that one of the lieutenants for next month, relying upon his popularity among his shipmates for his position the following month, neglects his studies; what check have we upon him?"
There was no answer, for this case has not occurred to the agitators.
"Suppose the captain of this ship—but I grant in the beginning that this is not a supposable case—should utterly fail in his duty so far as study is concerned; you elect him captain or commodore, while the present rule would send him back into the steerage. The amendment I propose will correct this defect in your plan. It consists of two sections," continued the principal, as he proceeded to read from a paper in his hand. "1. No captain shall be eligible to the office of commodore whose merit-rank is below No. 6 in the Young America, or below No. 5 in the Josephine, or Tritonia. 2. No officer shall be eligible to the office of captain or lieutenant whose merit-rank is below No. 16 in the ship, or below No. 9 in the other vessels. Are you satisfied with the amendment?"
"We are," replied the students.