"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 man--and a big one.
Climb in there, both of you, and haul him out. It sounds as
though he were behind that barrel--Gosh! 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.