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fastened down properly； the sails were put on back to front； all our knots
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were the wrong kind of knots。
At last the Doctor told him to stop talking and go downstairs。 He
refusedsaid he wasn't going to be sunk by landlubbers while he was still
able to stay on deck。
This made us feel a little uneasy。 He was such an enormous man there
was no knowing what he might do if he got really obstreperous。
Bumpo and I were talking about this downstairs in the dining…saloon
when Polynesia； Jip and Chee…Chee came and joined us。 And； as usual；
Polynesia had a plan。
〃Listen；〃 she said； 〃I am certain this Ben Butcher is a smuggler and a
bad man。 I am a very good judge of seamen； remember； and I don't like the
cut of this man's jib。 I〃
〃Do you really think；〃 I interrupted； 〃that it is safe for the Doctor to
cross the Atlantic without any regular seamen on his ship？〃
You see it had upset me quite a good deal to find that all the things we
had been doing were wrong； and I was beginning to wonder what might
happen if we ran into a stormparticularly as Miranda had only said the
weather would be good for a certain time； and we seemed to be having so
many delays。 But Polynesia merely tossed her head scornfully。
〃Oh； bless you； my boy；〃 said she； 〃you're always safe with John
Dolittle。 Remember that。 Don't take any notice of that stupid old salt。 Of
course it is perfectly true the Doctor does do everything wrong。 But with
him it doesn't matter。 Mark my words； if you travel with John Dolittle you
always get there； as you heard him say。 I've been with him lots of times
and I know。 Sometimes the ship is upside down when you get there； and
sometimes it's right way up。 But you get there just the same。 And then of
course there's another thing about the Doctor；〃 she added thoughtfully： 〃he
always has extraordinary good luck。 He may have his troubles； but with
him things seem to have a habit of turning out all right in the end。 I
remember once when we were going through the Straits of Magellan the
wind was so strong〃
〃But what are we going to do about Ben Butcher？〃 Jip put in。 〃You
had some plan Polynesia； hadn't you？〃
〃Yes。 What I'm afraid of is that he may hit the Doctor on the head
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when he's not looking and make himself captain of the Curlew。 Bad sailors
do that sometimes。 Then they run the ship their own way and take it where
they want。 That's what you call a mutiny。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Jip； 〃and we ought to do something pretty quick。 We can't
reach the Capa Blancas before the day after to…morrow at best。 I don't like
to leave the Doctor alone with him for a minute。 He smells like a very bad
man to me。〃
〃Well； I've got it all worked out；〃 said Polynesia。 〃Listen： is there a
key in that door？〃
We looked outside the dining…room and found that there was。
〃All right；〃 said Polynesia。 〃Now Bumpo lays the table for lunch and
we all go and hide。 Then at twelve o'clock Bumpo rings the dinner…bell
down here。 As soon as Ben hears it he'll come down expecting more salt
beef。 Bumpo must hide behind the door outside。 The moment that Ben is
seated at the dining…table Bumpo slams the door and locks it。 Then we've
got him。 See？〃
〃How stratagenious！〃 Bumpo chuckled。 〃As Cicero said； parrots cum
parishioners facilime congregation。 I'll lay the table at once。〃
〃Yes and take that Worcestershire sauce off the dresser with you when
you go out；〃 said Polynesia。 〃Don't leave any loose eatables around。 That
fellow has had enough to last any man for three days。 Besides； he won't be
so inclined to start a fight when we put him ashore at the Capa Blancas if
we thin him down a bit before we let him out。〃
So we all went and hid ourselves in the passage where we could watch
what happened。 And presently Bumpo came to the foot of the stairs and
rang the dinner…bell like mad。 Then he hopped behind the dining…room
door and we all kept still and listened。
Almost immediately； THUMP； THUMP； THUMP； down the stairs
tramped Ben Butcher； the able seaman。 He walked into the dining…saloon；
sat himself down at the head of the table in the Doctor's place； tucked a
napkin under his fat chin and heaved a sigh of expectation。
Then； BANG！ Bumpo slammed the door and locked it。
〃That settles HIM for a while；〃 said Polynesia coming out from her
hiding…place。 〃Now let him teach navigation to the side…board。 Gosh； the
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cheek of the man！ I've forgotten more about the sea than that lumbering
lout will ever know。 Let's go upstairs and tell the Doctor。 Bumpo； you will
have to serve the meals in the cabin for the next couple of days。〃
And bursting into a rollicking Norwegian sea…song； she climbed up to
my shoulder and we went on deck。
THE SIXTH CHAPTER
THE BED…MAKER OF MONTEVERDE
WE remained three days in the Capa Blanca Islands。
There were two reasons why we stayed there so long when we were
really in such a hurry to get away。 One was the shortage in our provisions
caused by the able seaman's enormous appetite。 When we came to go over
the stores and make a list； we found that he had eaten a whole lot of other
things besides the beef。 And having no money； we were sorely puzzled
how to buy more。 The Doctor went through his trunk to see if there was
anything he could sell。 But the only thing he could find was an old watch
with the hands broken and the back dented in； and we decided this would
not bring us in enough money to buy much more than a pound of tea。
Bumpo suggested that he sing comic songs in the streets which he had
learned in Jolliginki。 But the Doctor said he did not think that the islanders
would care for African music。
The other thing that kept us was the bullfight。 In these islands； which
belonged to Spain； they had bullfights every Sunday。 It was on a Friday
that we arrived there； and after we had got rid of the able seaman we took
a walk through the town。
It was a very funny little town； quite different from any that I had ever
seen。 The streets were all twisty and winding and so narrow that a wagon
could only just pass along them。 The houses overh