the story of doctor dolittle-第18章

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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　everybody　in

the　village　gathered　round　to　see　what　was　going

to　happen。



After　six　page…boys　had　blown　on　shining

trumpets　to　make　the　people　stop　talking；　the

Doctor　came　out　on　to　the　steps　and　the　Mayor

spoke。



〃Doctor　John　Dolittle；〃　said　he：　〃It　is　a

great　pleasure　for　me　to　present　to　the　man　who

rid　the　seas　of　the　Dragon　of　Barbary　this　little

token　from　the　grateful　people　of　our　worthy

Town。〃　　



And　the　Mayor　took　from　his　pocket　a　little

tissue…paper　packet；　and　opening　it；　he　handed

to　the　Doctor　a　perfectly　beautiful　watch　with

real　diamonds　in　the　back。



Then　the　Mayor　pulled　out　of　his　pocket　a

still　larger　parcel　and　said；



〃Where　is　the　dog？〃



Then　everybody　started　to　hunt　for　Jip。　　And

at　last　Dab…Dab　found　him　on　the　other　side

of　the　village　in　a　stable…yard；　where　all　the

dogs　of　the　country…side　were　standing　round

him　speechless　with　admiration　and　respect。