continued
Shuffles, as he took a pencil from his pocket. "Got a piece of paper?"

Monroe gave him a piece of paper, and the wire-puller began to make his
calculations.

"Eighty-seven votes," said he, writing the number on the paper.
"Necessary to a choice, forty-four. Here are six votes to start with."

"For whom?" asked Monroe.

"For me, for captain, first, and for each of the others for whatever
place he wants; say for Wilton for first lieutenant; Howe for second,
Sanborn for third, Monroe for fourth, and Adler for first master. What
do you say to that, fellows?"

As with the political "slate," there was some difference of opinion in
regard to the minor officers, even after Shuffles' claim to the
captaincy had been conceded But this disposition of the spoils was
finally agreed to.

"Now we want thirty-eight more votes," Shuffles proceeded.

"Just so; and you might as well attempt to jump over the main royal yard
as to get them," added Adler, who, having been assigned to the office
lowest in rank, was least satisfied with the "slate."

"Hold on; we haven't done yet. There are nine more offices. Now we will
pick out some good fellow that will work for us, for each of these
places; then we will promise him six votes if he will go our ticket, and
do what he can for us."

"That will give us only fifteen votes," said Adler.

"I think that will be doing very well to start with. Then you five
fellows can electioneer for me, and I'll do the same for you."

"I think we have made one mistake," added Sanborn. "Most of the fellows
will go for Carnes for captain. He is an old salt, and has more
influence than any other student in the ship. We ought to offer him some
place."

"Make him purser, if you like," said Shuffles, contemptuously.

"That won't go down. Make him first lieutenant."

"And shove me out?" demanded Wilton, indignantly. "I don't see it!"

"Nor I," added Shuffles. "I won't vote for Carnes, any how. He's a snob
and a flunky."

It was useless to resist the fiat of the chief wire-puller; the ticket
remained as it had been originally prepared; and the young gentlemen
proceeded to distribute the rest of the offices.

CHAPTER III.

THE ENSIGN AT THE PEAK.

The students on board of the Young America were between the ages of
fourteen and seventeen. By the regulations, no boy under fourteen or
over seventeen could be admitted, and they averaged about fifteen. They
had, therefore, reached the y