the story of doctor dolittle-第13章

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that　afternoon；　the　dog　could　not　catch　the　smell　of　snuff。



The　little　boy　was　terribly　disappointed　and

began　to　cry　again；　saying　that　no　one　seemed

to　be　able　to　find　his　uncle　for　him。　　But　all　Jip

said　to　the　Doctor　was；



〃Tell　him　that　when　the　wind　changes　to

the　West；　I'll　find　his　uncle　even　though　he　be

in　Chinaso　long　as　he　is　still　taking　Black

Rappee　snuff。〃　　



Three　days　they　had　to　wait　before　the　West

wind　came。　　This　was　on　a　Friday　morning；

earlyjust　as　it　was　getting　light。　　A　fine　rainy

mist　lay　on　the　sea　like　a　thin　fog。　　And　the

wind　was　soft　and　warm　and　wet。



As　soon　as　Jip　awoke　he　ran　upstairs　and

poked　his　nose　in　the　air。　　Then　he　got　most

frightfully　excited　and　rushed　down　again　to

wake　the　Doctor　up。



〃Doctor！〃　he　cried。　　〃I've　got　it！　　Doctor！

Doctor！　　Wake　up！　　Listen！　　I've　got　it！

The　wind's　from　the　West　and　it　smells　of　nothing

but　snuff。　　Come　upstairs　and　start　the　shipquick！〃



So　the　Doctor　tumbled　out　of　bed　and　went

to　the　rudder　to　steer　the　ship。



〃Now　I'll　go　up　to　the　front；〃　said　Jip；　〃and

you　watch　my　nosewhichever　way　I　point　it；

you　turn　the　ship　the　same　way。　　The　man　cannot

be　far　offwith　the　smell　as　strong　as

this。　　And　the　wind's　all　lovely　and　wet。　　Now

watch　me！〃



So　all　that　morning　Jip　stood　in　the　front

part　of　the　ship；　sniffing　the　wind　and　pointing

the　way　for　the　Doctor　to　steer；　while　all　the

animals　and　the　little　boy　stood　round　with　their

eyes　wide　open；　watching　the　dog　in　wonder。



About　lunch…time　Jip　asked　Dab…Dab　to　tell

the　Doctor　that　he　was　getting　worried　and

wanted　to　speak　to　him。　　So　Dab…Dab　went　and

fetched　the　Doctor　from　the　other　end　of　the

ship　and　Jip　said　to　him；



〃The　boy's　uncle　is　starving。　　We　must　make

the　ship　go　as　fast　as　we　can。〃　　



〃How　do　you　know　he　is　starving？〃　asked　the　Doctor。



〃Because　there　is　no　other　smell　in　the　West

wind　but　snuff；〃　said　Jip。　　〃If　the　man　were

cooking　or　eating　food　of　any　kind；　I　would

be　bound　to　smell　it　too。　　But　he　hasn't　even

fresh　water　to　drink。　　All　he　is　taking　is　snuff

in　large　pinches。　　We　are　getting　nearer　to

him　all　the　time；　because　the　smell　grows

stronger　every　minute。　　But　make　the　ship　go

as　fast　as　you　can；　for　I　am　certain　that　the

man　is　starving。〃　　



〃All　right；〃　said　the　Doctor；　and　he　sent

Dab…Dab　to　ask　the　swallows　to　pull　the　ship；

the　same　as　they　had　done　when　the　pirates　were

chasing　them。



So　the　stout　little　birds　came　down　and　once

more　harnessed　themselves　to　the　ship。



And　now　the　boat　went　bounding　through　the

waves　at　a　terrible　speed。　　It　went　so　fast　that

the　fishes　in　the　sea　had　to　jump　for　their　lives

to　get　out　of　the　way　and　not　be　run　over。



And　all　the　animals　got　tremendously　excited；

and　they　gave　up　looking　at　Jip　and　turned　to

watch　the　sea　in　front；　to　spy　out　any　land　or

islands　where　the　starving　man　might　be。



But　hour　after　hour　went　by　and　still　the　ship

went　rushing　on；　over　the　same　flat；　flat　sea；　and

no　land　anywhere　came　in　sight。



And　now　the　animals　gave　up　chattering　and

sat　around　silent；　anxious　and　miserable。　　The

little　boy　again　grew　sad。　　And　on　Jip's　face

there　was　a　worried　look。



At　last；　late　in　the　afternoon；　just　as　the　sun

was　going　down；　the　owl；　Too…Too；　who

was　perched　on　the　tip　of　the　mast；　suddenly

startled　them　all　by　crying　out　at　the　top　of　his

voice；



〃Jip！　　Jip！　　I　see　a　great；　great　rock　in　front

of　uslookway　out　there　where　the　sky　and

the　water　meet。　　See　the　sun　shine　on　itlike

gold！　　Is　the　smell　coming　from　there？〃



And　Jip　called　back；



〃Yes。　　That's　it。　　That　is　where　the　man　is。

At　last；　at　last！〃



And　when　they　got　nearer　they　could　see　that

the　rock　was　very　largeas　large　as　a　big　field。

No　trees　grew　on　it；　no　grassnothing。　　The

great　rock　was　as　smooth　and　as　bare　as　the　back

of　a　tortoise。



Then　the　Doctor　sailed　the　ship　right　round

the　rock。　　But　nowhere　on　it　could　a　man　be

seen。　　All　the　animals　screwed　up　their　eyes

and　looked　as　hard　as　they　could；　and　John

Dolittle　got　a　telescope　from　downstairs。



But　not　one　living　thing　could　they　spy

not　even　a　gull；　nor　a　star…fish；　nor　a　shred　of

sea…weed。



They　all　stood　still　and　listened；　straining

their　ears　for　any　sound。　　But　the　only　noise

they　heard　was　the　gentle　lapping　of　the　little

waves　against　the　sides　of　their　ship。



Then　they　all　started　calling；　〃Hulloa；　there！

HULLOA！〃　till　their　voices　were　hoarse。

But　only　the　echo　came　back　from　the　rock。



And　the　little　boy　burst　into　tears　and　said；



〃I　am　afraid　I　shall　never　see　my　uncle　any

more！　　What　shall　I　tell　them　when　I　get　home！〃



But　Jip　called　to　the　Doctor；



〃He　must　be　therehe　mustHE　MUST！

The　smell　goes　on　no　further。　　He　must　be

there；　I　tell　you！　　Sail　the　ship　close　to　the　rock

and　let　me　jump　out　on　it。〃　　



So　the　Doctor　brought　the　ship　as　close　as

he　could　and　let　down　the　anchor。　　Then　he

and　Jip　got　out　of　the　ship　on　to　the　rock。



Jip　at　once　put　his　nose　down　close　to　the

ground　and　began　to　run　all　over　the　place。　　Up

and　down　he　went；　back　and　forthzig…zagging；

twisting；　doubling　and　turning。　　And

everywhere　he　went；　the　Doctor　ran　behind　him；

close　at　his　heelstill　he　was　terribly　out　of

breath。



At　last　Jip　let　out　a　great　bark　and　sat　down。

And　when　the　Doctor　came　running　up　to　him；

he　found　the　dog　staring　into　a　big；　deep　hole　in

the　middle　of　the　rock。



〃The　boy's　uncle　is　down　there；〃　said　Jip

quietly。　　〃No　wonder　those　silly　eagles　couldn't

see　him！It　takes　a　dog　to　find　a　man。〃　　



So　the　Doctor　got　down　into　the　hole；　which

seemed　to　be　a　kind　of　cave；　or　tunnel；　running

a　long　way　under　the　ground。　　Then　he　struck

a　match　and　started　to　make　his　way　along　the

dark　passage　with　Jip　following　behind。



The　Doctor's　match　soon　went　out；　and　he

had　to　strike　another　and　another　and　another。



At　last　the　passage　came　to　an　end；　and　the

Doctor　found　himself　in　a　kind　of　tiny　room

with　walls　of　rock。



And　there；　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　his

head　resting　on　his　arms；　lay　a　man　with　very

red　hairfast　asleep！



Jip　went　up　and　sniffed　at　something　lying

on　the　ground　beside　him。　　The　Doctor　stooped

and　picked　it　up。　　It　was　an　enormous　snuff…

box。　　And　it　was　full　of　Black　Rappee！









THE　TWENTIETH　CHAPTER



THE　FISHERMAN'S　TOWN



GENTLY　thenvery　gently；　the　Doctor　woke　the　man　up。



But　just　at　that　moment　the　match　went　out　again。

And　the　man　thought　it　was　Ben　Ali　coming　back；

and　he　began　to　punch　the　Doctor　in　the　dark。



But　when　John　Dolittle　told　him　who　it　was；

and　that　he　had　his　little　nephew　safe　on　his

ship；　the　man　was　tremendously　glad；　and　said

he　was　sorry　he　had　fought　the　Doctor。　　He

had　not　hurt　him　much　thoughbecause　it　was

too　dark　to　punch　properly。　　Then　he　gave　the

Doctor　a　pinch　of　snuff。



And　the　man　told　how　the　Barbary　Dragon

had　put　him　on　to　this　rock　and　left　him　there；

when　he　wouldn't　promise　to　become　a　pirate；

and　how　he　used　to　sleep　down　in　this　hole

because　there　was　no　house　on　the　rock　to　keep

him　warm。



And　then　he　said；



〃For　four　days　I　have　had　nothing　to　eat　or

drink。　　I　have　lived　on　snuff。〃　　



〃There　you　are！〃　said　Jip。　　〃What　did　I　tell　you？〃



So　they　struck　some　more　matches　and　made

their　way　out　through　the　passage　into　the　daylight；

and　the　Doctor　hurried　the　man　down　to

the　boat　to　get　some　soup。



When　the　animals　and　the　little　boy　saw　the

Doctor　and　Jip　coming　back　to　the　ship　with

a　red…headed　man；　they　began　to　cheer　and　yell

and　dance　about　the　boat。　　And　the　swallows

up　above　started　whistling　at　the　top　of　their

voicesthousands　and　millions　of　themto

show　that　they　too　were　glad　that　the　boy's　brave

uncle　had　been　found。　　The　noise　they　made

was　so　great　that　sailors　far　out　at　sea　thought

that　a　terrible　storm　was　coming。　　〃Hark　to

that　gale　howling　in　the　East！〃　they　said。



And　Jip　was　awfully　proud　of　himself

though　he　tried　hard　not　to　look　conceited。

When　Dab…Dab　came　to　him　and　said；　〃Jip；　I

had　no　idea　you　were　so　clever！〃　he　just　tossed

his　head　and　answered；



〃Oh；　that's　nothing　special。　　But　it　takes　a

dog　to　find　a　man；　you　know。　　Birds　are　no　good

for　a　game　like　that。〃　　



Then　the　Doctor　asked　the　red…haired　fisherman

where　his　home　was。　　And　when　he　had

told　him；　the　Doctor　asked　the　swallows　to　guide

the　ship　there　first。



And　when　they　had　come　to　the　land　which

the　man　had　spoken　of；　they　saw　a　little　fishing…

town　at　the　foot　of　a　rocky　mountain；　and　the

man　pointed　out　the　house　where　he　lived。



And　while　they　were　letting　down　the　anchor；

the　little　boy's　mother　（who　was　also　the　man's

sister）　came　running　down　to　the　shore　to　meet

them；　laughing　and　crying　at　the　same　time。

She　had　been　sitting　on　a　hill　for　twenty　days；

watching　the　sea　and　waiting　for　them　to

return。



And　she　kissed　the　Doctor　many　times；　so　that

he　giggled　and　blushed　like　a　school…girl。　　And

she　tried　to　kiss　Jip　too；　but　he　ran　away　and

hid　inside　the　ship。



〃It's　a　silly　business；　this　kissing；〃　he　said。

〃I　don't　hold　by　it。　　Let　her　go　and　kiss　Gub…

Gubif　she　MUST　kiss　something。〃　　



The　fisherman　and　his　sister　didn't　want　the

Doctor　to　go　away　again　in　a　hurry。　　They

begged　him　to　spend　a　few　days　with　them。　　So

John　Dolittle　and　his　animals　had　to　stay　at

their　house　a　whole　Saturday　and　Sunday　and

half　of　Monday。



And　all　the　little　boys　of　the　fishing…village

went　down　to　the　beach　and　pointed　at　the　great

ship　anchored　there；　and　said　to　one　another　in

whispers；



〃Look！　　That　was　a　pirate…shipBen　Ali's

the　most　terrible　pirate　that　ever　sailed　the

Seven　Seas！　　That　old　gentleman　with　the　high

hat；　who's　staying　up　at　Mrs。　Trevelyan's；　HE

took　the　ship　away　from　The　Barbary　Dragon

and　made　him　into　a　farmer。　　Who'd　have

thought　it　of　himhim　so　gentlelike　and　all！

。。。　　Look　at　the　great　red　sails！　　Ain't　she　the

wicked…looking　shipand　fast？My！〃



All　those　two　days　and　a　half　that　the　Doctor

stayed　at　the　little　fishing…town　the　people　kept

asking　him　out　to　teas　and　luncheons　and　dinners

and　parties；　all　the　ladies　sent　him　boxes

of　flowers　and　candies；　and　the　village…band

played　tunes　under　his　window　every　night。



At　last　the　Doctor　said；



〃Good　people；　I　must　go　home　now。　　You

have　really　been　most　kind。　　I　shall　always

remember　it。　　But　I　must　go　homefor　I　have

things　to　do。〃　　



Then；　just　as　the　Doctor　was　about　to　leave；

the　Mayor　of　the　town　came　down　the　street

and　a　lot　of　other　people　in　grand　clothes　with

him。　　And　the　Mayor　stopped　before　the　house

where　the　Doctor　was　living；　and　eve