While Shuffles and Pelham were pledging themselves to a kind of romantic fidelity, they were plotting each against the other, each being satisfied that he had the advantage of the other.
"Now, I'm afraid the election will give us some trouble," continued Shuffles. "It will not be an easy matter to conduct it fairly—not that any fellow means to cheat, but it must be conducted with so much secrecy that we can't superintend the ballot properly."
"I know there is all that difficulty, but I have thought of a method which I believe will give us a fair election," replied Pelham.
"Have you? So have I."
"Well, what is your plan? If it is better than mine, I am willing to adopt it."
"I was thinking, as you and I are the only candidates that each of us might be represented by one side of the ship. You shall be port, and I will be starboard Then every link in the Chain shall hand his vote, on which shall be written the single word port or starboard either to you or me; and if there are more port than starboard, you will be captain; if more starboard than port, I shall be captain! How does that idea strike you?"
"Pretty well; but the fellows have all got to write their votes, and others will want to know what it means. It will set outsiders to thinking, and I don't believe the plan is quite safe."
"Well, what is your method?" asked Shuffles, who was willing to acknowledge the force of his rival's objections.
"Perhaps my plan is as open to objection as yours," answered Pelham; "but it will require no writing. Each of us shall get a handful of beans and a handful of peas. We can easily obtain them when the store rooms are opened. You shall be beans, and I will be peas."
"How are you, Peas?" said Shuffles, laughing at the idea.