"But the students who joined the society had to pledge themselves to vote for Cantwell."
"That is virtually done at all caucuses and political conventions. You think such societies ought to be suppressed—do you?"
"I certainly do, sir."
"Then I suppose we must begin in the cabin," laughed the principal.
"We had no secret society in the cabin, sir."
"No?"
"Certainly not, Mr. Lowington."
"Inasmuch as no seaman is allowed to enter the after cabin, your meetings there were, to all intents and purposes, secret. You proposed to keep the offices among yourselves, and you nominated the candidates, without consulting the crew, who were to find most of the votes to elect them, if they were elected. I think Scott was perfectly justified in taking the course he did. The secret society, I suspect, is rather for amusement than for anything else. You knew of its existence, and it is only a fair counterbalance for your meetings in the after cabin."
"We have come to the conclusion, sir, that our plan does not work very well," added De Forrest, rather sheepishly.
"It has not been tried under favorable circumstances. I have a higher opinion of it than you seem to have," replied Mr. Lowington. "It was brought forward, I am told, by yourself and others, to prevent Cantwell from becoming captain or first lieutenant. This was an unworthy purpose, and in the eyes of the crew it amounted to persecution."