Outward Bound Part 57

THE END OF THE CHAIN LEAGUE.

The fact that Shuffles had plunged into the sea, and labored so effectively for the rescue of the fourth lieutenant, blinded the eyes of "our fellows," who, knowing the penalty of treachery to the "Chain,"

might otherwise have suspected that he had "fallen overboard accidentally," or, in other words, that he had been pushed into the water by his unscrupulous rival. Wilton, Monroe, and Adler, had discussed the matter, and reached the conclusion that Pelham had been knocked over by the shaking of the staysail sheet, or that he had really fallen accidentally. They had been appalled and horrified by the event; and those who were disgusted with the League were not disposed to betray its secrets; for it was possible, though not probable, that the mishap which had befallen Pelham was an incident in the history of the "Chain."

When a wicked man or a wicked boy exceeds his average wickedness, the excess sometimes produces a moral reaction. A person who tipples moderately may have the drunkard's fate vividly foreshadowed to him by getting absolutely drunk himself, and thus be induced to abandon a dangerous practice. That loathsome disease, small pox, sometimes leaves the patient better than it finds him; and through, and on account of, the vilest sin may come the sinner's reformation.

Shuffles had exceeded himself in wickedness; and the fact that his foul design was not even suspected by any other person than his intended victim did not diminish his self-reproaches. He shuddered when he thought of the remorse which must have gnawed his soul during the rest of his lifetime if Pelham had been drowned. He would have been a murderer; and while so many knew the penalty of treachery to the League, he could hardly have escaped suspicion and detection.

A reaction had been produced in his mind; but it was not a healthy movement of the moral nature. It was not so much the awful crime he had impulsively committed, as the terrible consequences which would have followed, that caused him to shrink from it. It was an awful crime, and his nature revolted at it. He could not have done it without the impulse of an insane pa.s.sion; but it was dreadful because it would have shut him out from society; because it would have placed the mark of Cain upon him; because the dungeon and the gallows were beyond it,--rather than because it was the sacrifice of a human life, of one created in the image of G.o.d.

Shuffles was in a state of terror, as one who has just escaped from an awful gulf that yawned before him. He was not sincerely penitent, as one who feels the enormity of his offence. He was not prepared to acknowledge his sin before G.o.d, whose law he had outraged.

When Pelham came on deck, on the day after the exciting event, he greeted Shuffles with his accustomed suavity, and seemed not to bear any malice in his heart against the author of his misfortune. Officers and seamen as well as the princ.i.p.al and the professors, congratulated him upon his escape from the peril which had menaced him; and all commended Shuffles for his prompt and n.o.ble efforts in rescuing him. Pelham dissented from none of their conclusions, and was as generous in his praise of the deliverer as the occasion required.

Shuffles was rather astonished to find himself a lion on board, and at being specially thanked by Mr. Lowington for his humane exertions in saving a shipmate. He was so warmly and so generously commended that he almost reached the conclusion himself that he had done a good thing. He was not satisfied with himself. He was in the power of Pelham, who, by a word, could change the current of popular sentiment and arraign him for the gravest of crimes. If the fourth lieutenant spoke, Shuffles realized that he should be shunned and despised, as well as hated and feared, by all on board the ship. It was quite natural, therefore, for him to desire a better understanding with Pelham.

The League had fallen into contempt, at least for the present. Even "our fellows" would not have spirit enough to strike the blow; besides, the terrible gulf from which Shuffles had just escaped was too vivid in his mind to permit him to place himself on the brink of another. So far the reaction was salutary.

"When may I see you, Mr. Pelham?" said Shuffles as they came together in the waist.

"We will visit the top-gallant forecastle again, and see if we can understand how I happened to fall overboard for really I'm not in the habit of doing such things," replied Pelham, with a smile.

They walked forward together, and mounted the ladder to the place indicated.

"Shuffles, I never paid much attention to the snapper of the toggle before, and never supposed it meant anything in particular," continued Pelham, as he placed himself in the position he had occupied before he went over the bow. "Am I in any danger now?"

"No, Pelham, no!" replied Shuffles, earnestly. "You provoked me so by your cool taunts that I pushed you over before I thought what I was about."

"Did you really mean to drown me?"

"Upon my soul, I did not. If you knew how I felt when I saw you strike the water, and realized what I had done, you would forgive me."

"I have done that already, Shuffles."

"I would have given my own life for yours at that instant, Pelham."

"You saved me, after all, Shuffles. When I went over, I either hit the side of the ship, or struck my stomach on the water, for all the breath seemed to be knocked out of me. I hardly knew what I was about in the water till I saw you. At first I supposed you had jumped overboard to finish your job."

"You wronged me; I would have saved you, if I had been sure of perishing myself."

"You did save me, and I am willing to let that act offset the other."

"I'm grateful to you for this, Pelham. You treat me better than I deserve."

"Never mind it now; we will call it square," replied Pelham, lightly.

"How about the Chain, Shuffles? We shall be in sight of land by to-morrow."

"We can't do anything now."

"Why not?"

"How can we? After what has happened, I will not reproach you for what you did. You know how you provoked me. You have exposed the whole affair to the officers."

"Not a bit of it."

"No."

"Certainly not. Did you ever know Augustus Pelham to violate his obligations?" demanded Pelham with dignity.

"Never before; but the captain, the second lieutenant and seven others, who would no more join the League than they would steal your pocket-book, went through all the signs with me."

"They all voted too," laughed Pelham.

"I am willing to confess that I played off a mean trick upon you."

"And I have only made myself even with you. I have not betrayed a single secret of the Chain to any one not posted--except the signs. If I had, of course you and I would both have been in the brig before this time."

"I was puzzled to find nothing was said," added Shuffles.

"No one knows anything. The Chain is as perfect as ever. Give me your orders, and I will carry them out."

"The fellows have backed out now."

"Then, of course, we must do the same. I doubt whether we could have carried the thing out."

"No matter whether we could or not; we must drop it for the present. The fellows all suppose they are caught now, and expect every moment to be hauled up to the mast for an investigation."

"They are all safe; at least we can purchase their safety for ten shillings apiece," laughed Pelham.

"Purchase it!" exclaimed Shuffles, mystified by the language of his companion.

"Just so--purchase it," added Pelham; and he proceeded to inform his late rival of the trick he had invented in retaliation for the one Shuffles had put upon him.

"It was t.i.t for tat," said Shuffles.

"I told nothing which would harm either of us, for I am just as deep in the mud as you are in the mire."

"That's true. We must hang together."

"I hope not," replied Pelham, laughing. "We have got into this sc.r.a.pe, and we must get out of it."

"Suppose the captain or the second lieutenant should make the signs to one of our fellows, and he should tell what we were going to do."

"I told all my recruits not to answer any signs now, whoever made them."

"I did the same, when I found the captain knew them."