Frankie looked at the submerged city, and at the row of citizens. He reached into the water, covered the opening in the tissue box, and tilted it back. With his other hand he took the citizens one by one and made them jump into the water and swim under the bottom edge of the box. When they were all inside, he replaced his hand with one of the overturned coffee cups, so that the cup became a domed roof. He sat back then, his hands dripping, and smiled proudly.

“Poseidon is not pleased,” Jennifer said.

“Why?”

“Because you’ve changed the whole kingdom around without permission.”

“Just one building.”

“It’s a serious offense,” she decreed. “I’m afraid everyone will have to be banished to the Outer Sea.”

“Where’s that?”

“Gather your people,” she said, “and follow me.”

Frankie pretended to weep as he removed the cup and the citizens rose to the surface. He collected them in one of the cereal bowls and followed Jennifer out to the backyard.

Mrs. Woodrow had just gotten out of the pool when they climbed the metal steps. Her book and her iced tea tumbler were on the deck next to the ladder, and the donut-shaped raft was drifting away from the side. She took her towel from the white metal railing and wrapped it around her body just below her arms. “Hello, Frankie,” she said, pushing her sunglasses up on the bridge of her nose. “I didn’t know you were here.”

“He’s leading the citizens of Atlantis to the shores of the Outer Sea, by order of Poseidon,” Jennifer said. “They’re all being banished.”

“All right, then,” Mrs. Woodrow said. “Would you kids like something to eat?”

Frankie nodded.

“I’ll make PBJs.” She carried her book and her tumbler down the steps and disappeared into the house.

“Phineas R. Wigglethorp,” Jennifer proclaimed.

“Who’s that?” Frankie asked.

“The first citizen to be banished. We’re doing it one by one.”

Frankie looked into the bowl. He took one of the finger puppets and tossed it into the middle of the pool.

“William B. Kootchapapa,” Jennifer said.

They kept on until the bowl was empty. Then, because Jennifer deemed that punishment not severe enough, they took turns holding the citizens down against the bottom with the pool net. Mrs. Woodrow reappeared, still wrapped in her towel and carrying a tray that held two sandwiches, two glasses of Kool-Aid, and a bowl of potato chips. She set the tray on the picnic table next to the patio, called them over, and went back into the house.

They were eating when Frankie’s father came into the backyard through the side gate. He was walking slowly, holding a cigarette down next to his hip, with his head cocked as if he were listening for a particular sound. When he spotted Frankie, he frowned openmouthed.

“What are you doing?” he asked.