the story of doctor dolittle-第9章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



a　dark　black。〃　　



〃But　HE　didn't　have　anything　to　do　with　it；〃

said　the　Doctor。　　〃It　was　the　King；　his　father；

who　had　us　locked　upit　wasn't　Bumpo's　fault。

。。。I　wonder　if　I　ought　to　go　back　and　apologize

Oh；　wellI'll　send　him　some　candy

when　I　get　to　Puddleby。　　And　who　knows？

he　may　stay　white　after　all。〃　　



〃The　Sleeping　Beauty　would　never　have　him；

even　if　he　did；〃　said　Dab…Dab。　　〃He　looked

better　the　way　he　was；　I　thought。　　But　he'd

never　be　anything　but　ugly；　no　matter　what

color　he　was　made。〃　　



〃Still；　he　had　a　good　heart；〃　said　the　Doctor

〃romantic；　of　coursebut　a　good　heart。

After　all；　‘handsome　is　as　handsome　does。'〃



〃I　don't　believe　the　poor　booby　found　The

Sleeping　Beauty　at　all；〃　said　Jip；　the　dog。

〃Most　likely　he　kissed　some　farmer's　fat　wife

who　was　taking　a　snooze　under　an　apple…tree。

Can't　blame　her　for　getting　scared！　　I　wonder

who　he'll　go　and　kiss　this　time。　　Silly　business！〃



Then　the　pushmi…pullyu；　the　white　mouse；

Gub…Gub；　Dab…Dab；　Jip　and　the　owl；　Too…Too；

went　on　to　the　ship　with　the　Doctor。　　But　Chee…

Chee；　Polynesia　and　the　crocodile　stayed　behind；

because　Africa　was　their　proper　home；　the　land

where　they　were　born。



And　when　the　Doctor　stood　upon　the　boat；　he

looked　over　the　side　across　the　water。　　And　then

he　remembered　that　they　had　no　one　with　them

to　guide　them　back　to　Puddleby。



The　wide；　wide　sea　looked　terribly　big　and

lonesome　in　the　moonlight；　and　he　began　to

wonder　if　they　would　lose　their　way　when　they

passed　out　of　sight　of　land。



But　even　while　he　was　wondering；　they　heard

a　strange　whispering　noise；　high　in　the　air；

coming　through　the　night。　　And　the　animals　all

stopped　saying　Good…by　and　listened。



The　noise　grew　louder　and　bigger。　　It　seemed

to　be　coming　nearer　to　thema　sound　like　the

Autumn　wind　blowing　through　the　leaves　of　a

poplar…tree；　or　a　great；　great　rain　beating　down

upon　a　roof。



And　Jip；　with　his　nose　pointing　and　his　tail

quite　straight；　said；



〃Birds！millions　of　themflying　fastthat's　it！〃



And　then　they　all　looked　up。　　And　there；

streaming　across　the　face　of　the　moon；　like　a

huge　swarm　of　tiny　ants；　they　could　see　thousands

and　thousands　of　little　birds。　　Soon　the

whole　sky　seemed　full　of　them；　and　still　more

kept　comingmore　and　more。　　There　were　so

many　that　for　a　little　they　covered　the　whole

moon　so　it　could　not　shine；　and　the　sea　grew

dark　and　blacklike　when　a　storm…cloud　passes

over　the　sun。



And　presently　all　these　birds　came　down　close；

skimming　over　the　water　and　the　land；　and　the

night…sky　was　left　clear　above；　and　the　moon

shone　as　before。　　Still　never　a　call　nor　a　cry

nor　a　song　they　madeno　sound　but　this　great

rustling　of　feathers　which　grew　greater　now

than　ever。　　When　they　began　to　settle　on　the

sands；　along　the　ropes　of　the　shipanywhere

and　everywhere　except　the　treesthe　Doctor

could　see　that　they　had　blue　wings　and　white

breasts　and　very　short；　feathered　legs。　　As　soon

as　they　had　all　found　a　place　to　sit；　suddenly；

there　was　no　noise　left　anywhereall　was　quiet；

all　was　still。



And　in　the　silent　moonlight　John　Dolittle

spoke：



〃I　had　no　idea　that　we　had　been　in　Africa

so　long。　　It　will　be　nearly　Summer　when　we

get　home。　　For　these　are　the　swallows　going

back。　　Swallows；　I　thank　you　for　waiting　for

us。　　It　is　very　thoughtful　of　you。　　Now　we　need

not　be　afraid　that　we　will　lose　our　way　upon　the

sea。。。。　　Pull　up　the　anchor　and　set　the　sail！〃



When　the　ship　moved　out　upon　the　water；

those　who　stayed　behind；　Chee…Chee；　Polynesia

and　the　crocodile；　grew　terribly　sad。　　For　never

in　their　lives　had　they　known　any　one　they　liked

so　well　as　Doctor　John　Dolittle　of　Puddleby…on…

the…Marsh。



And　after　they　had　called　Good…by　to　him

again　and　again　and　again；　they　still　stood　there

upon　the　rocks；　crying　bitterly　and　waving　till

the　ship　was　out　of　sight。







THE　THIRTEENTH　CHAPTER



RED　SAILS　AND　BLUE　WINGS



SAILING　homeward；　the　Doctor's　ship　had　to　pass　the　coast

of　Barbary。　　This　coast　is　the　seashore　of　the　Great　Desert。

It　is　a　wild；　lonely　placeall　sand　and　stones。　　And　it　was

here　that　the　Barbary　pirates　lived。



These　pirates；　a　bad　lot　of　men；　used　to　wait

for　sailors　to　be　shipwrecked　on　their　shores。

And　often；　if　they　saw　a　boat　passing；　they　would

come　out　in　their　fast　sailing…ships　and　chase　it。

When　they　caught　a　boat　like　this　at　sea；　they

would　steal　everything　on　it；　and　after　they　had

taken　the　people　off　they　would　sink　the　ship

and　sail　back　to　Barbary　singing　songs　and　feeling

proud　of　the　mischief　they　had　done。　　Then

they　used　to　make　the　people　they　had　caught

write　home　to　their　friends　for　money。　　And　if

the　friends　sent　no　money；　the　pirates　often

threw　the　people　into　the　sea。



Now　one　sunshiny　day　the　Doctor　and　Dab…

Dab　were　walking　up　and　down　on　the　ship

for　exercise；　a　nice　fresh　wind　was　blowing　the

boat　along；　and　everybody　was　happy。　　Presently

Dab…Dab　saw　the　sail　of　another　ship　a

long　way　behind　them　on　the　edge　of　the　sea。

It　was　a　red　sail。



〃I　don't　like　the　look　of　that　sail；〃　said　Dab…

Dab。　　〃I　have　a　feeling　it　isn't　a　friendly　ship。

I　am　afraid　there　is　more　trouble　coming　to　us。〃　　



Jip；　who　was　lying　near　taking　a　nap　in　the

sun；　began　to　growl　and　talk　in　his　sleep。



〃I　smell　roast　beef　cooking；〃　he　mumbled

〃underdone　roast　beefwith　brown　gravy　over　it。〃　　



〃Good　gracious！〃　cried　the　Doctor。　　〃What's

the　matter　with　the　dog？　　Is　he　SMELLING　in　his

sleepas　well　as　talking？〃



〃I　suppose　he　is；〃　said　Dab…Dab。　　〃All　dogs

can　smell　in　their　sleep。〃　　



〃But　what　is　he　smelling？〃　asked　the　Doctor。



〃There　is　no　roast　beef　cooking　on　our　ship。〃　　

〃No；〃　said　Dab…Dab。　　〃The　roast　beef　must

be　on　that　other　ship　over　there。〃　　



〃But　that's　ten　miles　away；〃　said　the　Doctor。

〃He　couldn't　smell　that　far　surely！〃



〃Oh；　yes；　he　could；〃　said　Dab…Dab。　　〃You　ask　him。〃　　



Then　Jip；　still　fast　asleep；　began　to　growl

again　and　his　lip　curled　up　angrily；　showing

his　clean；　white　teeth。



〃I　smell　bad　men；〃　he　growled〃the　worst

men　I　ever　smelt。　　I　smell　trouble。　　I　smell　a

fightsix　bad　scoundrels　fighting　against　one

brave　man。　　I　want　to　help　him。　　WoofooWOOF！〃

Then　he　barked；　loud；　and　woke　himself　up　with

a　surprised　look　on　his　face。



〃See！〃　cried　Dab…Dab。　　〃That　boat　is　nearer　now。

You　can　count　its　three　big　sailsall　red。

Whoever　it　is；　they　are　coming　after　us。。。。

I　wonder　who　they　are。〃　　



〃They　are　bad　sailors；〃　said　Jip；　〃and　their

ship　is　very　swift。　　They　are　surely　the　pirates

of　Barbary。〃　　



〃Well；　we　must　put　up　more　sails　on　our

boat；〃　said　the　Doctor；　〃so　we　can　go　faster　and

get　away　from　them。　　Run　downstairs；　Jip；　and

fetch　me　all　the　sails　you　see。〃　　



The　dog　hurried　downstairs　and　dragged　up

every　sail　he　could　find。



But　even　when　all　these　were　put　up　on　the

masts　to　catch　the　wind；　the　boat　did　not　go

nearly　as　fast　as　the　pirates'which　kept　coming

on　behind；　closer　and　closer。



〃This　is　a　poor　ship　the　Prince　gave　us；〃　said

Gub…Gub；　the　pig〃the　slowest　he　could　find；

I　should　think。　　Might　as　well　try　to　win　a　race

in　a　soup…tureen　as　hope　to　get　away　from　them

in　this　old　barge。　　Look　how　near　they　are　now！

You　can　see　the　mustaches　on　the　faces　of　the

mensix　of　them。　　What　are　we　going　to　do？〃



Then　the　Doctor　asked　Dab…Dab　to　fly　up　and

tell　the　swallows　that　pirates　were　coming　after

them　in　a　swift　ship；　and　what　should　he　do

about　it。



When　the　swallows　heard　this；　they　all　came

down　on　to　the　Doctor's　ship；　and　they　told　him

to　unravel　some　pieces　of　long　rope　and　make

them　into　a　lot　of　thin　strings　as　quickly　as　he

could。　　Then　the　ends　of　these　strings　were　tied

on　to　the　front　of　the　ship；　and　the　swallows

took　hold　of　the　strings　with　their　feet　and　flew

off；　pulling　the　boat　along。



And　although　swallows　are　not　very　strong

when　only　one　or　two　are　by　themselves；　it　is

different　when　there　are　a　great　lot　of　them

together。　　And　there；　tied　to　the　Doctor's　ship；

were　a　thousand　strings；　and　two　thousand

swallows　were　pulling　on　each　stringall　terribly

swift　fliers。



And　in　a　moment　the　Doctor　found　himself

traveling　so　fast　he　had　to　hold　his　hat　on　with

both　hands；　for　he　felt　as　though　the　ship　itself

were　flying　through　waves　that　frothed　and

boiled　with　speed。



And　all　the　animals　on　the　ship　began　to

laugh　and　dance　about　in　the　rushing　air；　for

when　they　looked　back　at　the　pirates'　ship；　they

could　see　that　it　was　growing　smaller　now；

instead　of　bigger。　　The　red　sails　were　being　left

far；　far　behind。







THE　FOURTEENTH　CHAPTER



THE　RATS'　WARNING



DRAGGING　a　ship　through　the　sea　is　hard　work。　　And　after

two　or　three　hours　the　swallows　began　to　get　tired　in　the

wings　and　short　of　breath。　Then　they　sent　a　message

down　to　the　Doctor　to　say　that　they　would　have

to　take　a　rest　soon；　and　that　they　would　pull　the

boat　over　to　an　island　not　far　off；　and　hide　it　in

a　deep　bay　till　they　had　got　breath　enough　to　go　on。



And　presently　the　Doctor　saw　the　island　they

had　spoken　of。　　It　had　a　very　beautiful；　high；

green　mountain　in　the　middle　of　it。



When　the　ship　had　sailed　safely　into　the　bay

where　it　could　not　be　seen　from　the　open　sea；

the　Doctor　said　he　would　get　off　on　to　the　island

to　look　for　waterbecause　there　was　none　left

to　drink　on　his　ship。　　And　he　told　all　the　animals

to　get　out　too　and　romp　on　the　grass　to

stretch　their　legs。



Now　as　they　were　getting　off；　the　Doctor

noticed　that　a　whole　lot　of　rats　were　coming　up

from　downstairs　and　leaving　the　ship　as　well。

Jip　started　to　run　after　them；　because　chasing

rats　had　always　been　his　favorite　game。　　But

the　Doctor　told　him　to　stop。



And　one　big　black　rat；　who　seemed　to　want

to　say　something　to　the　Doctor；　now　crept　forward

timidly　along　the　rail；　watching　the　dog

out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye。　　And　after　he　had

coughed　nervously　two　or　three　times；　and

cleaned　his　whiskers　and　wiped　his　mouth；　he

said；



〃Ahemeryou　know　of　course　that　all

ships　have　rats　in　them；　Doctor；　do　you　not？〃



And　the　Doctor　said；　〃Yes。〃　　



〃And　you　have　heard　that　rats　always　leave

a　sinking　ship？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　the　Doctor〃so　I've　been　told。〃　　



〃People；〃　said　the　rat；　〃always　speak　of　it

with　a　sneeras　though　it　were　something　dis…

graceful。　　But　you　can't　blame　us；　can　you？

After　all；　who　WOULD　stay　on　a　sinking　ship；　if

he　could　get　off　it？〃



〃It's　very　natural；〃　said　the　Doctor〃very

natural。　　I　quite　understand。。。。　　Was　there

Was　there　anything　else　you　wished　to　say？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　the　rat。　　〃I've　come　to　tell　you

that　we　are　leaving　this　one。　　But　we　wanted　to

warn　you　before　we　go。　　T