“Is that so?” repeated Paul.

“Then you will reply, ‘That is so,’ with the stress on that.”

“That is so,” added Paul.

“Then you must place yourself so as to look directly forward or aft.  If you look forward, he must look aft.”

“I understand you.”

“Now I want to know who the other fellows were that played ’Don’t know Beans’ that day.”

“Captain Gordon was one.”

“Will you post him up in what I have told you?”

“I will, and the other fellows who voted for Shuffles, if you say so.”

“Thank you.  I wish you would.  Let them all tell him they desire to change their votes; but have them do it one at a time.”

Paul Kendall promised to do what was required of him; and in the course of the following forenoon he initiated “the outsiders who had voted for Shuffles” in the secret machinery of the supposed society, but in fact of the Chain League.  Being off duty during the second part of the afternoon watch, he encountered Shuffles in the lee side of the waist.

“Well, Shuffles, we are almost up with the coast of Ireland,” said Paul, as he scratched the tip of his nose with the second finger of his right hand, agreeably to the instructions given him by Pelham.

“Yes; and I suppose by Saturday, if the wind holds fair, we shall be off Cape Clear,” replied the captain-elect, as he took the lower part of his left ear between the thumb and forefinger of the left hand.

Shuffles did not suppose that the second lieutenant was a member of the league, and pledged to assist in the capture of the ship; but as he had made the sign, probably accidentally, he replied to it.

“There is a prospect of fair weather for some days to come,” continued Paul, as he scratched his chin with his left hand, which was the second step towards a recognition in the “Chain.”

Shuffles was duly and properly astonished at this exhibition of intelligence on the part of the officer; and it was now quite certain that Paul had joined the league, or that he had obtained its tremendous secrets.

“I hope it will be good weather now during the rest of the passage,” added the captain-elect, as he took his handkerchief from his breast pocket and blew his nose, for he was determined to satisfy himself whether or not the second lieutenant was a member of the League.

“Is that so?” demanded Shuffles.

“That is so,” answered Paul.

Shuffles was almost overwhelmed with astonishment to find that one who was a model of fidelity and propriety had actually joined the Chain.

“Shuffles, I voted for you the other day,” added Paul.

“I know you did.”

“I wish to change my vote.”

“Change it!” exclaimed Shuffles.

“Yes?  I voted in the dark.  I wish now to vote for the other candidate.”

“For whom?”