"We can't count the votes here," suggested McKeon. "Some one would see us, and want to know what we were doing."
"I can't leave the deck; I'm on duty," replied Shuffles.
"Let the receivers count it themselves."
"We ought to see them do it."
"That is not necessary. They don't know how many votes they have."
"I'm sure I don't," said Grossbeck.
"Neither do I," added McKeon.
"I'll tell you how we can manage it, without exciting the attention of any one."
"I will agree to anything that is fair," replied Shuffles.
"Grossbeck shall go forward, and McKeon aft as far as the mainmast, so that each cannot know what the other is about. They can count the votes separately without being seen."