"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