He regarded the machinery of the plot, the clap-trap of the secret league, as decidedly attractive; and he depended largely upon it to influence his companions.

Though he claimed that his plan was original, it was suggested by a secret political organization in Europe, of which he had read in a pamphlet; and the idea had doubtless been modified by his more extensive readings in the department of fiction, in which midnight juntos laid out robbery, treason, and murder; Venetian tales in which bravos, assassins, and decayed princes in disguise largely figured; in which mysterious passwords opened mysterious dungeons beneath ruined castles; in which bravo met bravo, and knew him by some mysterious sign, or cabalistic word.
Shuffles had a taste for these things, and out of his lively imagination he had coined a similar association to be recruited from the crew of the Young America, which was to redress fancied wrongs, and even take the ship out of the hands of the principal.

He could think of nothing but this brilliant enterprise; and while his shipmates were talking of the future, and indulging in the old salts' vocation of "spinning yarns," he was busy maturing the details of "The Chain League." He did not, for reasons best known to himself attempt to make any more proselytes that night.
The ship continued to go along easily on her course till morning.

It was a clear night, and though the wind was fresh, the sea was not rough, and the Young America behaved very handsomely.

The programme for the watches was carried out to the letter, but on the first night out, the boys were too much excited by the novelty of the situation to be able to sleep much.
At eight bells in the morning, after the port watch had breakfasted, all the students off duty attended prayers.