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was and had been to college； he never tried to lord it over me。 He seemed
to be forever smiling and kept all of us in good humor。 It wasn't long
before I began to see the Doctor's good sense in bringing himin spite of
the fact that he knew nothing whatever about sailing or travel。
On the morning of the fifth day out； just as I was taking the wheel over
from the Doctor； Bumpo appeared and said；
〃The salt beef is nearly all gone； Sir。〃
〃The salt beef！〃 cried the Doctor。 〃Why； we brought a hundred and
twenty pounds with us。 We couldn't have eaten that in five days。 What can
have become of it？〃
〃I don't know； Sir； I'm sure。 Every time I go down to the stores I find
another hunk missing。 If it is rats that are eating it； then they are certainly
colossal rodents。〃
Polynesia who was walking up and down a stay…rope taking her
morning exercise； put in；
〃We must search the hold。 If this is allowed to go on we will all be
starving before a week is out。 Come downstairs with me； Tommy； and we
will look into this matter。〃
So we went downstairs into the store…room and Polynesia told us to
keep quite still and listen。 This we did。 And presently we heard from a
dark corner of the hold the distinct sound of someone snoring。
〃Ah； I thought so；〃 said Polynesia。 〃It's a manand a big one。 Climb in
there； both of you； and haul him out。 It sounds as though he were behind
that barrelGosh！ We seem to have brought half of Puddleby with us。
Anyone would think we were a penny ferry…boat。 Such cheek！ Haul him
out。〃
So Bumpo and I lit a lantern and climbed over the stores。 And there；
behind the barrel； sure enough； we found an enormous bearded man fast
asleep with a well…fed look on his face。 We woke him up。
〃Washamarrer？〃 he said sleepily。
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It was Ben Butcher； the able seaman。
Polynesia spluttered like an angry fire…cracker。
〃This is the last straw；〃 said she。 〃The one man in the world we least
wanted。 Shiver my timbers； what cheek！〃
〃Would it not be advisable；〃 suggested Bumpo； 〃while the varlet is still
sleepy； to strike him on the head with some heavy object and push him
through a port…hole into the sea？〃
〃No。 We'd get into trouble；〃 said Polynesia。 〃We're not in Jolliginki
now； you knowworse luck！Besides； there never was a port…hole big
enough to push that man through。 Bring him upstairs to the Doctor。〃
So we led the man to the wheel where he respectfully touched his cap
to the Doctor。
〃Another stowaway； Sir；〃 said Bumpo smartly。 I thought the poor
Doctor would have a fit。
〃Good morning； Captain；〃 said the man。 〃Ben Butcher； able seaman； at
your service。 I knew you'd need me； so I took the liberty of stowing away…
…much against my conscience。 But I just couldn't bear to see you poor
landsmen set out on this voyage without a single real seaman to help you。
You'd never have got home alive if I hadn't comeWhy look at your
mainsail； Sirall loose at the throat。 First gust of wind come along； and
away goes your canvas overboardWell； it's all right now I'm here。 We'll
soon get things in shipshape。〃
〃No； it isn't all right；〃 said the Doctor； 〃it's all wrong。 And I'm not at all
glad to see you。 I told you in Puddleby I didn't want you。 You had no right
to come。〃
〃But Captain；〃 said the able seaman； 〃you can't sail this ship without
me。 You don't understand navigation。 Why； look at the compass now：
you've let her swing a point and a half off her course。 It's madness for you
to try to do this trip aloneif you'll pardon my saying so； Sir。 Whywhy；
you'll lose the ship！〃
〃Look here；〃 said the Doctor； a sudden stern look coming into his eyes；
〃losing a ship is nothing to me。 I've lost ships before and it doesn't bother
me in the least。 When I set out to go to a place； I get there。 Do you
understand？ I may know nothing whatever about sailing and navigation；
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but I get there just the same。 Now you may be the best seaman in the
world； but on this ship you're just a plain ordinary nuisancevery plain
and very ordinary。 And I am now going to call at the nearest port and put
you ashore。〃
〃Yes； and think yourself lucky；〃 Polynesia put in； 〃that you are not
locked up for stowing away and eating all our salt beef。〃
〃I don't know what the mischief we're going to do now；〃 I heard her
whisper to Bumpo。 〃We've no money to buy any more； and that salt beef
was the most important part of the stores。〃
〃Would it not be good political economy；〃 Bumpo whispered back； 〃if
we salted the able seaman and ate him instead？ I should judge that he
would weigh more than a hundred and twenty pounds。〃
〃How often must I tell you that we are not in Jolliginki；〃 snapped
Polynesia。 〃Those things are not done on white men's shipsStill；〃 she
murmured after a moment's thought； 〃it's an awfully bright idea。 I don't
suppose anybody saw him come on to the shipOh； but Heavens！ we
haven't got enough salt。 Besides； he'd be sure to taste of tobacco。〃
THE FIFTH CHAPTER
POLYNESIA HAS A PLAN
THEN the Doctor told me to take the wheel while he made a little
calculation with his map and worked out what new course we should take。
〃I shall have to run for the Capa Blancas after all；〃 he told me when
the seaman's back was turned。 〃Dreadful nuisance！ But I'd sooner swim
back to Puddleby than have to listen to that fellow's talk all the way to
Brazil。〃
Indeed he was a terrible person； this Ben Butcher。 You'd think that any
one after being told he wasn't wanted would have had the decency to keep
quiet。 But not Ben Butcher。 He kept going round the deck pointing out all
the things we had wrong。 According to him there wasn't a thing right on
the whole ship。 The anchor was hitched up wrong； the hatches weren't
fastened down properly； the sails were put on back to front； all our knots
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