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.

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 know--worse 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 come--Why look
at your mainsail, Sir--all loose at the throat. First gust of wind come
along, and away goes your canvas overboard--Well, 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 alone--if you'll pardon my saying so, Sir.
Why--why, 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