One policeman was carefully greasing a wicked looking rope with a knot and noose at one end. Three others were practicing pinioning and “turning off”[33] the culprit. One, to make the scene realistic to their admiring audience, was chained and placed in the corner of the room. The other two then would approach with straps in their hands, knock off the shackles from the supposed condemned man and quickly pinion him. Then the three would march slowly to the middle of the room. They adjusted an imaginary noose, drew on a real black cap over the make-believe prisoner’s head, adjusted the straps and then at a sharp word of command, all but the make-believe condemned man stepped smartly aside, and then one went through the motion of springing the trap upon which the blindfolded policeman was supposed to stand. Johnny Upolu told the midshipmen proudly that they had practiced it over a hundred times already, and hoped that it would be a sight worth seeing, and advised them not on any account to miss the real hanging. The prisoner understood sufficient English to understand and smiled, adding his wish that they should not miss the show. “How’s that for nerve?” Phil exclaimed. “Sitting there watching himself hung and actually smiling over it. I’m certainly not going to miss the real thing. I wonder if his splendid nerve will break down at the last?” The day of execution was set at a week hence. The “de facto” government, as the British and American consuls insisted upon calling it, apparently had decided that in the interest of civilization the dread sentence of the law should be carried out with due decorousness. Stump, who was by trade a carpenter and who had in some unaccountable way been experienced in erecting gallows, was seen directing the erection of a novel sort of framework on the public “Malae”[34] at Kulinuu. “Who gave you the job?” O’Neil asked Stump, after he and Marley had watched the work for several minutes. Stump did not answer; instead he drew near the boatswain’s mate and whispered anxiously: “‘Bully’ Scott hasn’t left the islands yet. He and the ‘Talofa’ are around at Saluafata harbor, the other end of the island. He sent me word by a native to come back, or he’d come and get me.” “You don’t believe he will, do you?” O’Neil asked. “There ain’t many things he won’t do when he sets his mind to it,” Stump replied nervously. “Klinger offered me this job,” he added. “I’ve done some smart carpentering in my time. I’ve got to earn enough money to pay my way back to ‘Frisco.’” O’Neil’s sympathy was aroused at once. “You’re an American,” he said. “Why don’t you ship in the navy? We need a carpenter.” Stump shook his head. “No more going to sea for Ben Stump. I’m going home and look up my folks.” “When’s this show coming off?” O’Neil asked, changing the subject; he saw Stump wasn’t keen to go in the navy again.