"The motion to lay on the table is not debatable," interposed Ryder. "It is moved and seconded that the report of the committee be laid on the table."
The motion was rejected, only half a dozen of the officers voting in favor of it. The report of the committee was accepted by a bare majority.
"As I said before, I suppose the action of this meeting is not binding upon any one," continued Lincoln, "but is simply an arrangement among ourselves."
"I think it is binding upon all who are present at this meeting," replied the chairman, who was decidedly in favor of the report, for he foresaw that, if De Forrest and Beckwith were advanced, Judson and Norwood would be crowded down, and he would not be a candidate for either of the five highest places in the ship.
"I certainly do not consider myself bound by it," said Cantwell.
"Nor I," added De Forrest.
"Nor I," repeated Beckwith.
But the business was finished, though nothing had really been done. One Novelty press was immediately set at work in printing what Ryder, Judson, and Norwood called the regular ticket, while De Forrest and Beckwith seized upon the other to print their own ticket, in which Ryder was utterly ignored. By the time the seamen returned from the island, three hundred of each of these tickets had been printed.
Scott had carefully instructed the members of the new order to "say nothing to nobody" in regard to the strength of the organization, or anything else relating to it. Of course those who had been to the island, but refused to join the order, knew something about the matter. They were aware that the members were all pledged to vote for Cantwell; but they had not estimated the number who had accepted the obligation.
As soon as the boats had been hoisted up, the friends of the two tickets which had been made up in the cabin went to work upon the seamen. De Forrest and Beckwith had made all sorts of promises to various officers to support them at the election following that of the next day, if they would go for the "independent ticket," as they styled their own, at the present time. When the advocates of the "regular ticket" understood what the "bolters" were doing, they crossed out De Forrest's and Beckwith's names, and substituted that of Ryder for third lieutenant, and that of Murray, the second master, for fourth. The young gentlemen were having a foretaste of the complications of politics, and a great deal of ill feeling was aroused. It was evident enough to the fair-minded, unselfish ones in the cabin, that the new plan was not working well, and they were very much disgusted at the conduct of De Forrest and Beckwith in particular. It was nothing but a scramble for office, without much regard for fitness among the candidates. The only redeeming feature of the business was the fact that Lincoln's name was on both of the cabin tickets; but then he was so popular, and so thoroughly competent for the captaincy, that neither of the factions dared to think of displacing him.