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 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