 This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information, or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Nicole Carle, St. Louis, Missouri. The Voyages of Dr. Doolittle by Hugh Lofting. Part 2, Chapter 1. The Crew of the Curlew. From that time on, of course, my position in town was very different. I was no longer a poor cobbler's son. I carried my nose in the air as I went down the high street with Jip and his gold collar at my side. In snobbish little boys, who had despised me before because I was not rich enough to go to school, now pointed me out to their friends and whispered, You see him? He's a doctor's assistant, and only ten years old. But their eyes would have opened still wider with wonder if they had but known that I and the dog that was with me could talk to one another. Two days after the doctor had been to our house to dinner, he told me very sadly that he was afraid he would have to give up trying to learn the language of the shellfish and all events for the present. I'm very discouraged, stubborn, very. I've tried the mussels and the clams, the oysters and the welks, cockles and scallops, seven different kinds of crab, and all the lobster family. I think I'll leave it for the present and go at it again later on. What will you turn to now? I asked. Well, first I shall have to wait till the purple bird of paradise gets here. I must see if she has any messages for me from Longerow. She's late. She should have been here ten days ago. I hope to goodness she's all right. Well, hadn't we better be seeing about getting a boat, I said? She is sure to be here in a day or so, and there will be lots of things to do to get ready in the meantime, won't there? Yes, indeed, said the doctor. Suppose we go down and see your friend Joe, the muscle man. He will know about boats. I'd like to come too, said Jim. All right, come along to the doctor, and off we went. Joe said yes, he had a boat. One he had just bought. But it needed three people to sail her. We told him we would like to see it anyway. So the muscle man took us off a little way down the river and showed us the neatest, prettiest little vessel that ever was built. She was called the Curlyew. Joe said he would sell her to us cheap. But the trouble was that the boat needed three people, while we were only two. Of course I shall be taking Chi Chi, said the doctor. But although he is very quick and clever, he is not as strong as a man. We really ought to have another person to sail a boat as big as that. I don't have a good sailor doctor, said Joe. A first-class seaman who would be glad at the job. No, thank you Joe, said doctor Doolittle. I don't want any seaman. I couldn't afford to hire them. And then they hamper me, so seaman do what I'm at sea. They're always wanting to do things the proper way. And I like to do them my way. Now let me see, who could we take with us? There's Matthew Mug, the cat's meat man, I said. No, he wouldn't do. Matthew's a very nice fellow, but he talks too much, mostly about his rheumatism. You have to be frightfully particular whom you take with you on long voyages. How about Luke the Hermit, I asked. That's a good idea. Splendid, if he'll come. Let's go and talk to him right away. End of Part 2, Chapter 1. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Nicole Carl, St. Louis, Missouri. The Voyages of Dr. Doolittle by Hugh Lofting, Part 2, Chapter 2. Luke the Hermit. The Hermit was an old friend of ours, as I have already told you. He was a very particular person. Far out on the marshes he lived in a little bit of a shack, all alone except for his brindle bulldog. No one knew where he came from, not even his name. Just Luke the Hermit, folks called him. He never came into town, never seemed to want to see or to talk to people. His dog, Bob, drove them away if they came near his hut. When you asked anyone in Puttleby who he was or why he lived out in that lonely place by himself, the only answer you got was, oh, Luke the Hermit? Well, there's some mystery about him. Nobody knows what it is, but there's a mystery. Don't go near him. He'll set the dog on you. Nevertheless, there were two people who often went out to that little shack on the fence. The doctor and myself. And Bob the Bulldog never barked when he heard us coming. For we liked Luke, and Luke liked us. This afternoon, crossing the marshes, we faced a cold wind blowing from the east. As we approached the hut, Jit put up his ears and said, that's funny. What's funny, said the doctor? That Bob hasn't come out to meet us. He should have heard us long ago or smelt us. What's that queer noise? Sounds to me like a gate creaking, said the doctor. Maybe it's Luke's door. Only we can't see the door from here. It's on the far side of the shack. I hope Bob isn't sick, said Jit, and he let out a bark to see if that would call him. But the only answer he got was the wailing of the wind across the wide salt fence. We hurried forward, all three of us thinking hard. When we reached the front of the shack, we found the door open and swinging and creaking dismally in the wind. We looked inside, there was no one there. Isn't Luke at home then, said I? Perhaps he's out for a walk. He is always at home, so the doctor frowning in a peculiar sort of way. And even if he were out for a walk, he wouldn't leave his door banging on the wind behind him. There is something queer about this. What are you doing in there, Jit? Nothing much, nothing worth speaking of, said Jit, examining the floor of the hut extremely carefully. Come here, Jit, said the doctor and the stern voice. You're hiding something from me. You see signs and you know something, or you guess it. What has happened? Tell me. Where is the hermit? I don't know, said Jit, looking very guilty and uncomfortable. I don't know where he is. Well, you know something. I can tell it from the look in your eye. What is it? The Jit didn't answer. For ten minutes, the doctor kept questioning him, but not a word would the dog say. Well, said the doctor at last. It is no use our standing around here in the cold. The hermit's gone. That's all. We might as well go home to luncheon. As we buttoned up our coats and started back across the marsh, Jit ran ahead pretending he was looking for water rats. He knows something all right, whispered the doctor, and I think he knows what has happened too. It's funny. He's not wanting to tell me. He's never done that before. Not in eleven years. He's always told me everything. Strange. Very strange. Do you mean you think he knows all about the hermit, the big mystery about him, which folks hint at, and all that? I shouldn't wonder if he did, the doctor answered slowly. I noticed something in his expression the moment we found that door open and the hut empty. The way he sniffed the floor too, and told him something that floor did. He saw signs but couldn't see. I wonder why he won't tell me. I'll try him again. Here. Jip. Jip. Where is the dog? I thought he went on in front. So did I, I said. He was there a moment ago. I saw him in his largest life. Jip. Jip. Jip. Jip. He was gone. We called and called. We even walked back to the hut. Jip disappeared. Oh well, I said. Most likely he has just run home ahead of us. He often does that, you know. We'll find him there when we get back to the house. But the doctor just closed his coat collar tighter against the wind and strode on muttering. Very odd. End of Part Two, Chapter Two. Recording by Al Hunt, Alberta, Canada The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting Part Two, Chapter Three. Jip and the Secret When we reached the house the first question the doctor asked of Dab-Dab in the hall was, Is Jip home yet? No, said Dab-Dab. I haven't seen him. Let me know the moment he comes in, will you please? said the doctor, hanging up his hat. Certainly I will, said Dab-Dab. Don't be long over washing your hands. The lunch is on the table. Just as we were sitting down to luncheon in the kitchen we heard a great racket at the front door. I ran and opened it. Inbounded Jip. Doctor! he cried. Come to the library quick. I've got something to tell you. No, Dab-Dab, the luncheon must wait. Please hurry, doctor. There is not a moment to be lost. Don't let any of the animals come. Just you and Tommy. Now he said when we were in the library and the door was closed. Turn the key in the lock and make sure no one is listening under the windows. It's all right, said the doctor. Nobody can hear you here. Now what is it? Well, doctor, said Jip. He was badly out of breath from running. I know all about the hermit. I've known for years, but I couldn't tell you. Why? asked the doctor. Because I'd promised not to tell anyone. It was Bob, his dog, that told me, and I swore to him that I would keep the secret. Well, and are you going to tell me now? Yes, said Jip. We've got to save him. I followed Bob's scent just now when I left you out there on the marshes. And I found him. And I said to him, Is it all right, I said? For me to tell the doctor now. Maybe he can do something. And Bob says to me, Yes, he says. It's all right, because, Oh, for heaven's sakes, go on, go on, cried the doctor. Tell us what the mystery is. Not what you said to Bob and what Bob said to you. What has happened? Where is the hermit? He's in Puttleby Jail, said Jip. He's in prison. In prison? Yes. What for? What's he done? Jip went over to the door and smelt at the bottom of it to see if anyone was listening outside. Then he came back to the doctor on tiptoe and whispered, He killed a man. Lord Preservas cried the doctor sitting down heavily in a chair and mopping his forehead with a handkerchief. When did he do it? Fifteen years ago in a Mexican gold mine. That's why he has been a hermit ever since. He shaved off his beard and kept away from people out there in the marshes so he wouldn't be recognized. But last week it seems these newfangled policemen came to town and they heard there was a strange man who kept to himself all alone in a shack on the fan, and they got suspicious. For a long time people had been hunting all over the world for the man that did that killing in the Mexican gold mine fifteen years ago. So these policemen went out to the shack and they recognized Luke by a mole on his arm and they took him to prison. Well, well, murmured the doctor. Who would have thought it? Luke, the philosopher, killed a man. I can hardly believe it. It's true enough, unfortunately, said Jip. Luke did it. But it wasn't his fault. Bob says so. And he was there and saw it all. He was scarcely more than a puppy at the time. Bob says Luke couldn't help it. He had to do it. Where's Bob now, asked the doctor. Down at the prison. I wanted him to come here with me to see you, but he won't leave the prison while Luke is there. He just sits outside the door of the prison cell and won't move. He doesn't even eat the food they give him. Won't you please come down there, doctor, and see if there's anything you can do? The trial is to be this afternoon at two o'clock. What time is it now? It's ten minutes past one. Bob says they think they're going to kill Luke for a punishment if they can prove that he did it, or certainly keep him in prison for the rest of his life. Won't you please come? Perhaps if you spoke to the judge and told him what a good man Luke really is, they'd let him off. Of course I'll come, said the doctor, getting up and moving to go, but I'm very much afraid that I shan't be of any real help. He turned the door and hesitated thoughtfully. And yet—I wonder—and then he opened the door and passed out with me and Jip close at his heels. CHAPTER IV Bob Dab-dab was terribly upset when she found we were going away again without luncheon. She made us take some cold pork pies in our pockets to eat on the way. When we got to Puttleby Courthouse, it was next door to the prison, we found a great crowd gathered around the building. This was the week of the Assizes, a business which happened every three months when many picked pockets and other bad characters were tried by a very grand judge who came all the way from London, and anybody in Puttleby who had nothing special to do used to come to the Courthouse to hear the trials. The day was different. The crowd was not made up of just a few idle people. It was enormous. The news had run through the countryside that Luke the Hermit was to be tried for killing a man, and that the great mystery which had hung over him for so long was to be cleared up at last. The butcher and the baker had closed their shops and taken a holiday. All the farmers from around about and all the townsfolk were there with their Sunday clothes on, trying to get seats in the Courthouse or gossiping outside in low whispers. The high street was so crowded you could hardly move along it. I had never seen the quiet old town in such a state of excitement before, for Puttleby had not had such Assizes since 1799 when Ferdinand Phipps, the rector's oldest son, had robbed the bank. If I hadn't had the doctor with me, I'm sure I would never have been able to make my way through the mob backed around the Courthouse door, but I just followed behind him hanging on to his coattails, and at last we got safely into the jail. I want to see Luke, said the doctor, to a very grand person in a blue coat with brass buttons standing at the door. Ask at the superintendent's office, said the man. Third door on the left down the corridor. Who is that person you spoke to, doctor? I asked as we went along the passage. He's a policeman. And what are policemen? Policemen? They are to keep people in order. They've just been invented by Sir Robert Peele. That's why they are also called Peeler sometimes. It is a wonderful age we live in. They're always thinking of something new. This will be the superintendent's office, I suppose. From there another policeman was sent to show us the way. Outside the door of Luke's cell we found Bob the Bulldog, who wagged his tail sadly when he saw us. The man who was guiding us took a large bunch of keys from his pocket and opened the door. I had never been inside a real prison cell before, and I felt quite a thrill when the policeman went out and locked the door after him, leaving us shut in the dimly lighted little stone room. Before he went he said that as soon as we had done talking with our friend we should knock upon the door and he would come and let us out. At first I could hardly see anything it was so dim inside, but after a little I made out a low bed against the wall under a small barred window. On the bed staring down at the floor between his feet sat the hermit, his head resting in his hands. Well, Luke, said the doctor in a kindly voice. They don't give you much light in here, do they? Very slowly the hermit looked up from the floor. Hello, John Doolittle. What brings you here? I've come to see you. I would have been here sooner, only I didn't hear about all this until a few minutes ago. I went to your hut to ask if you would join me on a voyage, and when I found it empty I had no idea where you could be. I am dreadfully sorry to hear about your bad luck. I've come to see if there's anything I can do." Luke shook his head. No, I don't imagine there is anything that can be done. They've caught me at last. That's the end of it, I suppose. He got up stiffly and started walking up and down the little room. In a way I'm glad it's over, he said. I never got any peace, always thinking they were after me, afraid to speak to anyone. They were bound to get me in the end. Yes, I'm glad it's over. Then the doctor talked to Luke for more than half an hour, trying to cheer him up. While I sat around wondering what I ought to say, I'm wishing I could do something. At last the doctor said he wanted to see Bob, and we knocked upon the door and were let out by the policeman. Bob, said the doctor to the big bulldog in the passage, come out with me to the porch, I want to ask you something. How is he, doctor? Asked Bob as we walked down the corridor into the courthouse porch. Oh, Luke's all right. Very miserable, of course. But he's all right. Now tell me, Bob, you saw this business happen, didn't you? You were there when the man was killed, eh? I was, doctor, said Bob, and I'll tell you. All right, the doctor interrupted. That's all I wanted to know for the present. There isn't time to tell me more now. The trial is just going to begin. There are the judge and the lawyers coming up the step. Now listen, Bob, I want you to stay with me when I go into the courtroom, and whatever I tell you to do, do it. Do you understand? Don't make any scenes, don't bite anybody, no matter what they might say about Luke. Just behave perfectly quietly and answer any question I may ask you truthfully. Do you understand? Very well. But do you think you will be able to get him off, doctor? Asked Bob. He's a good man, doctor. He really is. There never was a better. We'll see. We'll see, Bob. It's a new thing I'm going to try. I'm not sure the judge will allow it, but, well, we'll see. It's time to go into the courtroom now. Don't forget what I told you. Remember, for heaven's sake don't start biting anyone, or you'll get us all put out and spoil everything. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. This reading by Lucy Burgoyne. The Voyages of Dr. Do Little by Hugh Lofting. Part 2, Chapter 5. Mendoza. Inside the courtroom, everything was very solemn and wonderful. There was a high, big room, raised above the floor, against the wall was the judge's desk, and here the judge was already sitting, an old, handsome man in a marvellous big wig of grey hair and a gown of black. Below him was another wide, long desk, at which lawyers in white wigs sat. The whole thing reminded me of a mixture between a church and a school. Those twelve men at the side, whispered the doctor, those in pews like a choir, they are what is called the jury. It is they who decide whether Luke is guilty, whether he did it or not. And look, I said, there's Luke himself in a sort of pulpit thing, with policemen each side of him. And there's another pulpit, the same kind, the other side of the room. See? Only that one's empty. That one is called the witness box, said the doctor. Now, I'm going down to speak to one of those many white wigs, and I want you to wait here and keep these two seats for us. Bob will stay with you. Keep an eye on him. Better hold on to his collar. I shan't be more than a minute or so. With that, the doctor disappeared into the crowd, which filled the main part of the room. Then I saw the judge take a funny little wooden hammer and knock on his desk with it. This, it seemed, was to make people keep quiet, for immediately everyone stopped buzzing and talking and began to listen very respectfully. Then another man in a black gown stood up and began reading from a paper in his hand. He mumbled away exactly as though he were saying his prayers and didn't want anyone to understand what language they were in. But I managed to catch a few words. Viz, viz, viz, viz, viz, otherwise known as Luke the Hermit of viz, viz, viz, viz, viz, viz, for killing his partner with viz, viz, viz, viz, viz, otherwise known as Bluebeard Bill on the night of the viz, viz, viz, viz, in the viz, viz, viz, viz, of Mexico, therefore, her majesty's viz, viz, viz, viz, viz. At this moment I felt someone take hold of my arm from the back and turning round I found the doctor had returned with one of the many white wigs. Stubbins, this is Mr. Percy Jenkins, said the doctor. He is Luke's lawyer. It is his business to get Luke off if he can. Mr. Jenkins seemed to be an extremely young man with a round smooth face like a boy. He shook hands with me and then immediately turned and went on talking with the doctor. Oh, I think it is perfectly precious idea, he was saying. Of course the dog must be admitted as a witness. He was the only one who saw the thing take place. I'm awfully glad you came. I wouldn't have missed this for anything. My hat. Won't it make the old court sit up? They're always rightfully dull. These are sizes, but this will stir things. Good God, witness for the defence. I do hope there are plenty of reporters present. Yes, there's one making a sketch of the prisoner. I shall become known after this and won't conkey be pleased. My hat. He put his hand over his mouth to smother a laugh and his eyes barely sparkled with mischief. Who is conkey? I asked the doctor. Shhh, he is speaking of the judge up there. The Honourable Huster spoke hampch-conkeling. Now, said Mr Jenkins, bringing out a notebook, tell me a little more about yourself, doctor. You took your degree as Doctor of Medicine at Durham. I think you said. And the name of your last book was? I could not hear any more, for they talked in whispers and I fell to looking round the court again. Of course I could not understand everything that was going on, though it was all very interesting. People kept getting up in the place the doctor called the witness box and the lawyers at the long table asked some questions about the night of the 29th. Then the people would get down again and somebody else would get up and be questioned. One of the lawyers, who the doctor told me afterwards, was called the prosecutor. Seemed to be doing his best to get the hermit into trouble by asking questions which made it look as though he had always been a very bad man. He was a nasty lawyer, this prosecutor, with a long nose. Most of the time I could hardly keep my eyes off poor Luke, who sat there between his two policemen, staring at the floor as though he weren't interested. The only time I saw him take any notice at all was when a small dark man with wicked little watery eyes got up into the witness box. I heard Bob's snarl under my chair as his person came into the courtroom and Luke's eyes just blazed with anger and contempt. This man said his name was Mendoza and that he was the one who had guided the Mexican police to the mine after Bluebeard Bill had been killed. And at every word he said I could hear Bob down below me muttering between his teeth. It's a lie, it's a lie, I'll chew his face, it's a lie. And both the doctor and I had hard work keeping the dog under the seat. Then I noticed that our Mr Jenkins had disappeared from the doctor's sign, but presently I saw him stand up at the long table to speak to the judge. Your Honor, said he, I wish to introduce a new witness for the defence, Dr John Doolittle, the naturalist. Will you please step into the witness stand, Doctor? There was a buzz of excitement as the doctor made his way across the crowded room and I noticed the nasty lawyer with the long nose leaned down and whispered something to a friend, smiling in an ugly way, which made me want to pinch him. Then Mr Jenkins asked the doctor a whole lot of questions about himself and made him answer in a loud voice so the whole court could hear. He finished up by saying, and you are prepared to swear, Dr Doolittle, that you understand the language of dogs and can make them understand you? Is that so? Yes, said the doctor, that is so. And what, might I ask, put in the judge in a very quiet, dignified voice, has all this to do with the killing of Bluebeard Bill? This, Your Honor, said Mr Jenkins, talking in a very grand manner as though he were on a stage in a theatre. There is in this courtroom at the present moment a bulldog who was the only living thing that saw the man killed. With the court's permission, I propose to put that dog in the witness stand and have him questioned before you by the eminent scientist, Dr John Doolittle. End the chapter. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org, this reading by Lucy Burgoyne. The Voyages of Dr Doolittle by Hugh Lofting. Part 2, Chapter 6. The Judge's Dog At first, there was a dead silence in the court. Then everybody began whispering or giggling at the same time, till the whole room sounded like a great hive of bees. Many people seemed to be shocked. Most of them were amused, and a few were angry. Presently up sprung the nasty lawyer with the long nose. I protest, your honour, he cried, waving his arms wildly to the judge. I object. The dignity of this court is imperil. I protest. I am the one to take care of the dignity of this court, said the judge. Then Mr Jenkins got up again. If it hadn't been such a serious matter, it was almost like a punch and duty show. Somebody was always popping down and somebody else popping up. If there is any doubt on the score of our being able to do as we say, your honour will have no objection. I trust, to the doctors giving the court a demonstration of his powers, of showing that he actually can understand the speech of animals. I thought I saw a twinkle of amusement come into the old judge's eyes as he sat considering a moment before he answered. No, he said at last. I don't think so. Then he turned to the doctor. Are you quite sure you can do this? He asked. Quite, your honour, said the doctor. Quite sure. Very well then, said the judge. If you can satisfy us that you really are able to understand canine testimony, the dog shall be admitted as a witness. I do not see, in that case, how I could object to his being heard. But I warn you that if you are trying to make a laughing stock of this court, it will go hard with you. I protest, I protest, yelled the long-nosed prosecutor. This is a scandal, an outrage to the bar. Sit down, said the judge in a very stern voice. What animal does your honour wish me to talk with? Ask the doctor. I would like you to talk to my own dog, said the judge. He is outside in the cloakroom. I will have him brought in, and then we shall see what you can do. Then someone went out and fetched the judge's dog. A lovely great Russian wolf hound with slender legs and a shaggy coat. He was a proud and beautiful creature. Now, doctor, said the judge, did you ever see this dog before? Remember you were in the witness stand and under oath. No, your honour, I never saw him before. Very well then, would you please ask him to tell you what I had for supper last night. He was with me, and watched me while I ate. Then the doctor and the dog started talking to one another in signs and sounds, and they kept at it for quite a long time. And the doctor began to giggle as though he seemed to forget all about the court and the judge and everything else. What a time he takes. I heard a fat woman in front of me whispering. He's only pretending. Of course he can't do it. Whoever heard of talking to a dog, he must think we're children. Haven't you finished yet? The judge asked the doctor. It shouldn't take that long just to ask what I had for supper. Oh no, your honour, the doctor. The dog told me that long ago. But then he went on to tell me what you did after supper. Never mind that, said the judge. Tell me what answer he gave you to my question. He says you had a mutton chop, two baked potatoes, a pickled walnut, and a glass of ale. The honourable Eustace Boakham Conklee went right to the lips. Sounds like witchcraft, and after your supper, the doctor went on. He says you went to see a prize fight and then sat up playing cards for money till 12 o'clock and came home singing. We won't get... That will do, the judge interrupted. I am satisfied you can do as you say. The prisoner's dog shall be admitted as a witness. I protest, I object, scream the prosecutor. Your honour, this is sit down, rod the judge. I say the dog shall be heard. That ends the matter. Put the witness in the stand. And then for the first time in the solemn history of England a dog was putting the witness stand of Her Majesty's court of her sizes. And it was I, Tommy Stubbins, when the doctor made a sign to me across the room, who proudly led Bob up the aisle. Through the astonished crowd, there was the frowning, spluttering, long-nosed prosecutor and made him comfortable on a high chair in the witness box. From where the old bulldog sat, scowling down over the rail, upon the amazed and gaping jewellery. End of chapter. Al Hunt, Alberta, Canada The Voyages of Doctor Doolittle by Hugh Lofting Part 2, Chapter 7 The End of the Mystery The trial went swiftly forward after that. Mr. Jenkins told the doctor to ask Bob what he saw on the night of the 29th, and when Bob had told all he knew and the doctor had turned it into English for the judge and the jury, this is what he had to say. On the night of the 29th of November, 1824 I was with my master, Luke Fitzjohn, otherwise known as Luke the Hermit, and his two partners, Manuel Mendoza and William Boggs, otherwise known as Bluebeer Bill, on their gold mine in Mexico. For a long time these three men had been hunting for gold, and they had dug a deep hole in the ground. On the morning of the 29th, gold was discovered, lots of it, at the bottom of this hole, and all three, my master and his two partners, were very happy about it because they knew that they would be rich. But Manuel Mendoza asked Bluebeer Bill to go for a walk with him. These two men I had always suspected of being bad. So when I noticed that they had left my master behind, I followed them secretly to see what they were up to. And in a deep cave in the mountains I heard them arrange together to kill Luke the Hermit so that they should get all the gold and he have none. At this point the judge asked, where is the witness Mendoza, see that he does not leave the court. But the wicked little man with the watery eyes had already sneaked out when no one was looking, and he was never seen in Puttleby again. Then Bob's statement went on. I went to my master and tried very hard to make him understand that his partners were dangerous men. But it was no use. He did not understand dog language. So I did the next best thing. I never let him out of my sight, but stayed with him every moment of the day and night. Now the hole that they had made was so deep that to get down and up it you had to go in a big bucket tied on the end of a rope. And the three men used to hold one another up and let one another down the mine this way. That was how the gold was brought up too, in the bucket. Well, about seven o'clock in the evening my master was standing at the top of the mine hauling up Bluebeer Bill who was in the bucket. Just as he had got Bill half way up I saw Mendoza come out of the hut where we all lived. Mendoza thought that Bill was away buying groceries, but he wasn't. He was in the bucket. And when Mendoza saw Luke hauling and straining on the rope he thought he was pulling up a bucket full of gold. So he drew a pistol from his pocket and came sneaking up behind Luke to shoot him. I barked and barked to warn my master of the danger he was in but he was so busy hauling up Bill who was a heavy fat man that he took no notice of me. I saw that if I didn't do something quick he would surely be shot. So I did a thing I'd never done before. Suddenly and savagely I bit my master on the leg from behind. Luke was so hurt and startled that he did just what I wanted him to do. He let go of the rope with both hands at once and turned around. And then CRASH! down went Bill in his bucket to the bottom of the mine and he was killed. While my master was busy scolding me Mendoza put his pistol in his pocket came up with a smile on his face why good gracious said he to Luke you've killed Bluebeer Bill I must go and tell the police hoping you see to get the whole mine to himself when Luke should be put in prison. Then he jumped on his horse and galloped away and soon my master grew afraid for he saw that if Mendoza only told enough lies to the police it would look as though he had killed Bill on purpose so while Mendoza was gone he and I stole away together secretly and came to England. Here he shaved off his beard and became a hermit. And ever since for fifteen years we've remained in hiding. This is all I have to say and I swear it is the truth, every word. When the doctor finished reading Bob's long speech the excitement among the twelve men of the jury was positively terrific. One, a very old man with white hair began to weep in a loud voice at the thought of poor Luke hiding on the fend for fifteen years for something he couldn't help but either set to whispering and nodding their heads to one another. In the middle of all this up got that horrible prosecutor again waving his arms more wildly than ever. Your honour, he cried. I must object to this evidence as biased. Of course the dog would not tell the truth against his own master. I object, I protest. Very well, said the judge, you are at liberty to cross-examine. It is your duty as prosecutor to prove his evidence untrue. The dog questioned him if you do not believe what he says. I thought the long-nosed lawyer would have a fit. He looked first at the dog, then at the doctor, then at the judge, then back at the dog scowling from the witness-box. He opened his mouth to say something but no words came. He waved his arms some more. His face got redder and redder. At last, clutching his forehead he sank weakly into his seat and had to be helped out of the courtroom by two friends. As he was half-carried through the door he was feebly murmuring, I protest, I object, I protest. End of Part 2, Chapter 7 This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Daniel Flores in Queen Creek, Arizona, on February 2, 2007. The Voyages of Dr. Doolittle by Hugh Lofting Part 2, Chapter 8 The Eighth Chapter Three Cheers Next, the judge made a very long speech to the jury and when it was over, all the twelve jurymen got up and went out into the next room and at that point the doctor came back leading Bob to the seat beside me. What have the jurymen gone out for, I asked? They always do that at the end of a trial to make up their minds whether the prisoner did it or not. Couldn't you and Bob go in and help them and make up their minds the right way? I asked. No, that's not allowed. They have to talk it over in secret. Sometimes it takes, my gracious look, they're coming back already. They didn't spend time long over it. Everybody kept quite still while the twelve men came tramping back into their places in the pews. Then one of them, the leader, the little man, stood up and turned to the judge. Everyone was holding his breath, and I turned myself to see what he was going to say. You could have heard a pen drop while the whole courtroom, the whole of Puttleby in fact, waited with craning necks and straining ears to hear the weighty words. Your honor, said the little man, the jury returns a verdict of not guilty. What's that mean, I asked, turning to the doctor, but I found Dr. John Doolittle, the famous naturalist standing on top of a chair, dancing about on one leg like a schoolboy. It means he's free, he cried. Luke is free! Then he'll be able to come on the voyage with us, won't he? But I could not hear his answer, for the whole courtroom seemed to be jumping up on chairs like the doctor. The crowd had suddenly gone crazy. All the people were laughing and calling and waving to Luke to show him how glad they were that he was free. The noise was deafening. Then it stopped. All was quiet again, and the people stood up respectfully while the judge left the court. For the trial of Luke the Hermit, the famous trial, which to this day they are still talking of in Puttleby, was over. In the hush while the judge was leaving, a sudden shriek rang out, and there, in the doorway, stood a woman, her arms outstretched to the Hermit. Luke, she cried, I've found you at last. It's his wife, the fat woman, in front of me whispered, she ain't seen him in fifteen years, poor dear. What a lovely reunion. I'm glad I came. I wouldn't have missed this for anything. As soon as the judge had gone, the noise broke out again, and now the folks gathered around Luke and his wife and shook them by the hand and congratulated them and laughed over them and cried over them. Come along, Stebbins said the doctor, taking me by the arm. Let's get out of this while we can. We're going to speak to Luke, I said, to ask him if he'll come on the voyage. It wouldn't be a bit of use, said the doctor. His wife's come for him. No man stands any chance of going on a voyage when his wife hasn't seen him in fifteen years. Come along, let's get home to tea. We didn't have any lunch, remember? And we've earned something to eat. We'll have one of those mixed meals, lunch and tea combined with watercress and ham. Nice change. Come along. Just as we were going to step out at the side door, I heard this crowd shouting, the doctor, the doctor, where's the doctor? The hermit would have hanged if it hadn't been for the doctor. Speech, speech, the doctor! And a man came running up to us and said, the people are calling for you, sir. I'm very sorry, said the doctor, but I'm in a hurry. The crowd won't be denied, sir, said the man. They want you to make a speech in the marketplace. Oh, excuse me, said the doctor. With my compliments, I have an appointment at my house, a very important one which I may not break. Tell Luke to make a speech. Come along, Stebbins, this way. Oh, Lord, he muttered as we got out into the open air and found another crowd waiting for him at the side door. Let's go up that alleyway to the left. Quick! Run! We took to our heels, started through a couple of side streets, and just managed to get away from the crowd. Not until we had gained the oxenthorpe road that we dared to slow down to a walk and take our breath. And even when we reached the doctor's gate and turned a look backwards toward the town, the faint murmur of many noises still reached us on the evening wind. They're still clamoring for you, I said, listen. The murmur suddenly swelled up into a low distant roar, and although it was a mile and a half away, you could distinctly hear the words. Three cheers for Luke the Hermit. Hooray! Three cheers for his dog. Hooray! Three cheers for his wife. Hooray! Three cheers for the doctor. Hooray! Hooray! Hooray! End of Part 2, Chapter 8. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. This recording was made by Daniel Flores in Queen Creek, Arizona, on February 3rd, 2007. The Voyages of Dr. Doolittle by Hugh Lofting. Part 2, Chapter 9. The Ninth Chapter. The Purple Bird of Paradise. Polynesia was waiting for us on the front porch. She looked full of some important news. Doctor said she, the purple bird of paradise arrived. At last, said the doctor, I had begun to fear some accident had befallen her. And how is Miranda? From the excited way in which the doctor fumbled his key into the lock, I guessed that we were not going to get our tea right away. Even now. Oh, she seemed all right when she arrived, said Polynesia. Tired from her long journey, of course, but otherwise all right. But what do you think? That mischief-making sparrow had insulted her as soon as she came into the garden. When I arrived on the scene, she was in tears and was all for turning round and going straight back to Brazil tonight. I had the hardest work persuading her to wait until you came. She's in the study. I shut Cheapside in one of your bookcases and told him I'd tell you exactly what had happened the moment you got home. The doctor frowned, then walked silently and quickly to the study. Here we found the candle's lit. For the daylight was nearly gone. Dab-Dab was standing on the floor, mounting guard over one of the glass-fronted bookcases in which Cheapside had been in present. The noisy little sparrow was still fluttering angrily behind the glass when we came in. In the center of the big table, perched on the ink stand, stood the most beautiful bird I had ever seen. She had a deep, violet-colored breast, scarlet wings and a long, long, sweeping tail of gold. She was unimaginably beautiful but looked dreadfully tired. Already she had her head under her wing and she swayed gently from side to side on top of the ink stand like a bird that has flown long and far. Shhh! said Dab-Dab, Miranda is asleep. I've got this little imp Cheapside in here. Listen doctor, for heaven's sake, send that sparrow away before he does any more mischief. He's nothing but a vulgar little nuisance. We've had a perfectly awful time trying to get Miranda to stay. Shall I serve your tea in here or will you come into the kitchen when you're ready? We'll come into the kitchen, Dab-Dab, said the doctor. Let Cheapside out before you go, please. Dab-Dab opened the bookcase door and Cheapside strutted out, trying hard not to look guilty. After sternly, what did you say to Miranda when she arrived? I didn't say nothing, doc, straight I didn't. That is, nothing much. I was picking up crumbs off the gravel path when she came swanking into the garden, turning up her nose in all directions as though she owned the earth just because she's got a lot of colored plumage. A London sparrow is as good as her any day. I don't hold by these gaudy bedis and foreigners anyhow. Why don't they stay in their own country? But what did you say to her that got her so offended? All I said was you don't belong in an English garden, you ought to be in a milliner's window. That's all. You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Cheapside. Don't you realize that this bird has come thousands of miles to see me, only to be insulted by your impertinent tongue as soon as she reaches my garden? What do you mean by it? If she had gone away again before I got back tonight, I would have never forgiven you. Leave the room. Sheepishly, but still trying to look as though he didn't care, Cheapside hopped out into the passage and dab-dab closed the door. The doctor went up to the beautiful bird on the ink stand and gently stroked its back. Instantly its head popped out from under its wing. End of Part 2, Chapter 9 This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Danielle Flores in Queen Creek, Arizona on February 7, 2007. The Voyages of Dr. Doolittle by Hugh Lofting Part 2, Chapter 10 Long Arrow, The Son of Golden Arrow Well, Miranda, said the doctor. I'm terribly sorry this has happened. But you mustn't mind Cheapside. He doesn't know any better. He's a city bird. In all his life he has had to squabble for a living. You must make allowances. He doesn't know any better. Miranda stretched her gorgeous wings weirdly. Now that I saw her awake and moving, I noticed what a superior, well-bred manner she had. Her tears in her eyes and her beak was trembling. I wouldn't have minded so much, she said in a high, silvery voice. If I hadn't been so dreadfully worn out, that and something else, she added beneath her breath. Did you have a hard time getting here? asked the doctor. The worst passage I ever made, said Miranda. The weather? Well, there. What's the use? Anyway. Tell me," said the doctor, as though he had been impatiently waiting to say something for a long time. What did Long Arrow say when you gave him my message? The purple bird of Paradise hung her head. That's the worst part of it, she said. I might almost as well have not come at all. I wasn't able to deliver your message. I couldn't find him. Long Arrow, the son of Golden Arrow, has disappeared. The beard, cried the doctor. Why, what's become of him? Nobody knows, Miranda answered. He had often disappeared before, as I have told you, so that the Indians didn't know where he was. But it's a mighty hard thing to hide away from the birds. I had always been able to find some owl or Martin who could tell me where he was, if I wanted to know. But not this time. That's why I'm nearly a fortnight late in coming to you. I kept hunting and hunting, asking everywhere. I went over the whole length and breadth of South America, and there wasn't a living thing could tell me where he was. There was a sad silence in the room after she had finished. The doctor was frowning in a peculiar sort of way, and Polynesia scratched her head. Did you ask the black parrots, asked Polynesia? They usually know everything. Certainly I did, said Miranda, and I was so upset at not being able to find out anything that I forgot all about observing the weather signs before I started my flight here. I didn't even bother to break my journey at the Azores, but cut right across, breaking for the Straits of Gibraltar as though it were June or July. And, of course, I ran into a perfectly frightful storm in mid-Atlantic. I really thought I'd never come through it. Luckily I found a piece of a direct vessel floating in the sea after the storm had partly died down and I roosted on it and took some sleep. If I hadn't been able to take that rest I wouldn't be here to tell the tale. Poor Miranda, what a time you must have had, said the doctor. But tell me, were you able to find out whereabouts Long Arrow was last seen? Yes. A young albatross told me he had seen him on Spider Monkey Island. Spider Monkey Island? That's somewhere off the coast of Brazil, isn't it? Yes, that's it. Of course I flew there right away and asked every bird on the island, and it is a big island, a hundred miles long. It seemed that Long Arrow was visiting some peculiar Indians that live there, looking for rare medicine plants. I got that from a tame hawk, a pet, which the chief of Indians keeps for hunting partridges with. I nearly got caught and put in a cage for my pains too. That's a worst of having beautiful feathers. It's as much as your life is worth to go near most humans. They say, oh, how pretty and shoot an arrow or a bullet into you. You and Long Arrow were the only two men that I would ever trust myself near, out of all the people in the world. But he was never known to have returned from the mountains? No. That was the last that was seen or heard of him. I questioned the seabirds around the shores to find out if he had left the island in a canoe, but they could tell me nothing. Do you think that some accident has happened to him? Asked the doctor in a fearful voice. I'm afraid it must have said Miranda, shaking her head. Well, said John Doolittle slowly. If I could never meet Long Arrow face to face, it would be the greatest disappointment in my whole life. Not only that, it would be a great loss to the knowledge of the human race, for from what you have told me of him he knew more natural science than all the rest of us put together. And if he is gone without anyone to write it down for him, so the world may be the better for it, it would be a terrible thing. But you don't really think that he is dead, do you? What else can I think, asked Miranda, bursting into tears when for six whole months he has not been seen by flesh, fish, or fowl. End of Part 2 Chapter 10 This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Ada Kerman Portland, Oregon The Voyages of Dr. Doolittle by Hugh Loftin Part 2 Chapter 11 Blind Travel This news about Long Arrow made us all very sad. And I could see from the silent, dreamy way the doctor took his tea that he was dreadfully upset. Every once in a while he would stop eating all together and sit staring at the spots on the kitchen tablecloth as though his thoughts were far away. Till Dab-Dab, who was watching to see that he got a good meal, would cough or rattle the pots in the sink. I did my best to cheer him up by reminding him of all that he had done for Luke and his wife that afternoon. And when that didn't seem to work, I went on talking about our preparations for the voyage. But you see Stubbins said he as we rose from the table and Dab-Dab and Chichi began to clear away. I don't know where to go now. I feel sort of lost since Miranda brought me this news. On this voyage I had planned going to see Long Arrow. I had been looking forward to it for a whole year. I felt he might help me in learning the language of the shellfish and perhaps in finding some way of getting to the bottom of the sea. But now he's gone and all his great knowledge has gone with him. Then he seemed to fall a dreaming again. Just to think of it he murmured, Long Arrow and I, two students, although I'd never met him I felt as though I knew him quite well. For in his way, without any schooling he has all his life been trying to do the very things which I have tried to do in mine. And now he's gone, a whole world between us and only a bird knew us both. We went back into the study where Jip brought the doctor his slippers and his pipe. And after the pipe was lit and the smoke began to fill the room, the old man seemed to cheer up a little. But you will go on some voyage, Doctor, won't you? I asked even if you can't go to find Long Arrow. He looked up sharply into my face and I suppose he saw how anxious I was. Because he suddenly smiled his old boyish smile and said, Yes, Stubbins, don't worry we'll go. We mustn't stop working and learning even if poor Long Arrow has disappeared. But where to go that's the question, where shall we go? There were so many places that I wanted to go that I couldn't make up my mind right away. And while I was still thinking the doctor sat up in his chair and said, I tell you what we'll do Stubbins, it's a game I used to play when I was young, before Sarah came to live with me. I used to call it Blind Travel. Whenever I wanted to go on a voyage and I couldn't get my mind where to go, I would take the atlas and open it with my eyes shut. Next I'd wave a pencil still without looking and stick it down on whatever page had fallen open. Then I'd open my eyes and look, it's a very exciting game as Blind Travel. Because you have to swear before you begin that you will go to the place the pencil touches come what may. Shall we play it? Oh, that's I almost yelled. How thrilling. I hope it's China or Borneo or Baghdad. And in a moment I had scrambled up the bookcase, dragged the big atlas from the top shelf and laid it on the table before the doctor. I knew every page in that atlas by heart. How many days and nights I had lingered over its old faded maps following the blue rivers from the mountains to the sea, wondering what the little towns really looked like and how wide were the sprawling lakes. I had had a lot of fun with that atlas traveling in my mind all over the world. You can see it now. The first page had no map. It just told you that it was printed in Edinburgh in 1808 and a whole lot more about the book. The next page was the solar system showing the sun and planets, the stars and the moon. The third page was the chart of the north and south poles. Then came the hemispheres, the oceans, the continents and the countries. As the doctor began sharpening his pencil, a thought came to me. What if the pencil falls upon the north pole? I asked. Will we have to go there? No, the rules of the game say you don't have to go to any place you've been to before. You are allowed another try. I've been to the north pole, he ended quietly, so we shan't have to go there. I could hardly speak with astonishment. You've been to the north pole, I managed to gasp out at last, but I thought it was still undiscovered. The map shows all the places explorers have reached to, trying to get there. Why isn't your name down if you discovered it? I promise to keep it a secret, and you must promise me never to tell anyone. Yes, I discovered the north pole in April 1809. But shortly after I got there, the polar bears came to me in a body and told me there was a great deal of coal there, buried beneath the snow. They knew they said that human beings would do anything and go anywhere to get coal, so would I please keep it a secret? Because once people began coming up there to start coal mines, their beautiful white country would be spoiled and there was nowhere else in the world cold enough for polar bears to be comfortable. So of course I had to promise them I would. Ah well, it will be discovered again some day by somebody else. But I want the polar bears to have their playground to themselves as long as possible. And I daresay it will be a good while yet, for it certainly is a fetish place to get to. Well now, are we ready? Good. Take the pencil and stand here close to the table. When the book falls open, wave the pencil three times and jab it down. Ready? Alright. Shut your eyes. It was a tense and fearful moment, but very thrilling. We both had our eyes shut tight. I heard the atlas fall open with a bang. I wondered what page it was, England or Asia. If it should be the map of Asia, so much would depend on where that pencil would land. I waved three times in a circle. I began to lower my hand. I called out, it's done. End of part two, chapter eleven. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Aida Kerman, Portland, Oregon. The Voyages of Dr. Doolittle by Hugh Lofting. Part two, chapter twelve, Destiny and the Nation. We both opened our eyes, then bumped our heads together with a crack in our eagerness to lean over and see where we were to go. The atlas lay open at a map called Chart of the South Atlantic Ocean. My pencil point was resting right in the center of a tiny island. The name of it was printed so small that the doctor had to get out his strong spectacles to read it. I was trembling with excitement. Spider Monkey Island, he read out then he whistled softly beneath his breath. Of all the extraordinary things you've hit upon the very island where Long Arrow was last seen on Earth. I wonder. Well, well, how very singular. We'll go there, doctor, won't we, I asked? Of course we will. The rules of the game say we've got to. I'm so glad it wasn't oxenthorpe or Bristol, I said. It'll be a grand voyage, this. Look at all the sea we've got to cross. Will it take us long? The rules of the doctor, not very. With a good boat and a good wind we should make it easily in four weeks. But isn't it extraordinary? Of all the places in the world you picked out that one with your eyes shut. Spider Monkey Island, after all. Well, there's one good thing about it. I shall be able to get some jabeesery beetles. What are jabeesery beetles? They are a very rare kind of beetles with peculiar habits. I want to study them. There are only three countries in the world Spider Monkey Island is one of them. But even there they are very scarce. What is this little question mark after the name of the island four I asked pointing to the map? That means that the island's position in the ocean is not known very exactly. That it is somewhere about there. Ships have probably seen it in that neighborhood. That is all most likely. It is quite possible we shall be the first white men to land there. But I daresay we shall have some difficulty in finding it first. How like a dream it all sounded. The two of us sitting there at the big study table. The candles lit. The smoke curling towards the dim ceiling from the doctor's pipe. The two of us sitting there talking about finding an island in the ocean and being the first white men to land upon it. I'll bet it will be a great voyage, I said. It looks a lovely island on the map. Will there be black men there? No, a peculiar tribe of red Indians lives on it, Miranda tells me. We are going to Spider Monkey Island, Miranda, said the doctor. You know where it is, do you not? I know where it was the last time I saw it, said the bird, but whether it will be there still I can't say. What do you mean, asked the doctor? It is always in the same place, surely. Not by any means, said Miranda. Why didn't you know Spider Monkey Island is a floating island? It moves around all over the place, usually somewhere near southern South America. It moves around all over the place, somewhere near southern South America. But of course I could surely find it for you if you want to go there. At this fresh piece of news I could contain myself no longer. I was bursting to tell someone. I ran dancing and singing from the room to find Chi Chi. At the door I tripped over Dab Dab, who was just coming in with her wings full of plates and fell headlong on my nose. As the boy gone crazy, cried the duck, where do you think you're going, Ninny? To Spider Monkey Island I shouted, moving cartwheels down the hall, Spider Monkey Island, hooray! And it's a floating island. You're going to Bedlam, I should say, snorted the housekeeper. Look what you've done to my best China. But I was far too happy to listen to her scolding, and I ran on, singing into the kitchen to find Chi Chi. End of Part 2, Chapter 12. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Ada Kerman, Portland, Oregon. The Voyage is of Dr. Doolittle by Hugh Lofting. Part 3, Chapter 1, The Third Man. That same week we began our preparations for the voyage. Joe, the muscle man, had the curle move down the river and tied it up along the river wall, so it would be more handy for loading. And for three whole days we carried our beautiful new boat and stowed them away. I was surprised to find how roomy and big she was inside. There were three little cabins, a saloon, or dining room, and underneath all this a big place called The Hold where the food and extra sales and other things were kept. I think Joe must have told everybody in the town about our coming voyage because there was always a regular crowd watching us when we brought the things down to put aboard. And of course sooner or later old Matthew Mug was bound to turn up. My goodness, Tommy said he as he watched me carrying on some sacks of flour, but that's a pretty boat. Where might the doctor be going to this voyage? We're going to Spider Monkey Island, I said proudly. And be you the only one the doctor is taking along? Well he has spoken of wanting to take another man, I said, but so far he hasn't made up his mind. Matthew grunted and squinted up at the graceful masts of the curle. You know, Tommy said he, if it wasn't I have half a mind to come with the doctor myself. There's something about a boat standing ready to sail that always did make me feel venturesome and travel-ish like. What's that stuff in the cans you're taking on? This is treacle, I said, twenty pounds of treacle. My goodness, he sighed, turning away sadly. That makes me feel more like going with you than ever. But my rheumatism is that bad I can't hardly. I didn't hear any more for Matthew had moved off, still mumbling into the crowd that stood about the wharf. The clock and puddle be church struck noon and I turned back feeling very busy and important to the task of loading. But it wasn't very long before someone else came along and interrupted my work. This was a huge big burly man with a red beard and tattoo marks all over his arms. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, spat twice onto the river wall and said, Boy, where's the skipper? The skipper, who do you mean, I asked. The captain, where's the captain of this craft, he said, pointing to the curlew. Oh, you mean the doctor, said I. Well, he isn't here at the present. At that moment the doctor arrived with his arms full of notebooks and butterfly nets and glass cases and other natural history things. The big man went up to him, respectfully touching his cap. Good morning, captain, said he. I heard you was in need of hands for a voyage. My name is Ben Butcher, Abel Seaman. I am very glad to know you, said the doctor. But I'm afraid I shan't be able to help a more crew. Why but, captains of the Abel Seaman, you surely ain't going to face deep sea weather with nothing more than this bit of a lad to help you. And with a cutter that big. The doctor assured him that he was, but the man didn't go away. He hung around and argued. He told us he had known of many ships being sunk through undermanning. He got out what he called his Stiffy Kit, a paper which said what a good sailor he was, and implored us, if we can. But the doctor was quite firm, polite, but determined, and finally the man walked sorrowfully away, telling us he never expected to see us alive again. Callers of one sort and another kept us quite busy that morning. The doctor had no sooner gone below to stow away his notebooks than another visitor appeared upon the gangplank. This was a most extraordinary looking black man. The only other negroes I had seen had been in circuses, where they wore feathers and bone it. But this one was dressed in a fashionable frock coat with an enormous bright red cravat. On his head was a straw hat with a gay band, and over this he held a large green umbrella. He was very smart in every respect except his feet. He wore no shoes or socks. Pardon me, said he, bowing elegantly, but is this the ship of the physician Doolittle? Yes, I said. Did you wish to see him? I did, if it will not be discomodious, he answered. Who shall I say it is? I am Bumpo Kabubu, crowned prince of Jolly Ginky. I ran downstairs at once and told the doctor. How fortunate, cried John Doolittle, my old friend Bumpo. Well, well, he's studying at Oxford, you know. How good of him to come all this way to call on me, and he tumbled up the ladder to greet his visitor. The strange black man seemed to be overcome with joy when the doctor appeared and shook him warmly by the hand. News reached me, he said, that you were about to sail upon a voyage, a hasten to see you before your departure. I am sublimely ecstasy that I did not miss you. You very nearly did miss us, said the doctor, as it happened we were delayed somewhat in getting the necessary number of men to sail our boat. If it hadn't been for that, we would have been gone three days ago. How many men does your ship's company yet require, asked Bumpo? Only once, said the doctor, but it is so hard to find the right one. He thinks I detect something of the finger of destination in this, said Bumpo. How would I do? Splendently, said the doctor, but what about your studies? You can't very well just go off and leave your university career to take care of itself, you know. I need a holiday, said Bumpo. Even had I not gone with you, I intended at the end of this term to take a three months' abscension. But besides, I shall not be neglecting my edification if I accompany you. Before I left Jolly Ginkie, my August father, the king, told me to be sure and travel with you. You are a man of great studiosity to see that world in your company is an opportunity not to be sneezed upon. No, no, indeed. How did you like the life at Oxford, asked the doctor? Oh, passably, passably, said Bumpo. I liked it all except the algebra and the shoes. The algebra hurt my head and the shoes hurt my feet. I threw the shoes over a wall as soon as I got out of the college quadrilateral this morning. And the algebra I am happily forgetting is Cicero. Yes, I think Cicero is fine. So simultaneous. By the way, they tell me his son is rowing for our college next year, charming fellow. The doctor looked down at the black man's huge bare feet, thoughtfully for a moment. Well, he said slowly, there is something in what you say, Bumpo, about getting education from the world as well as from the college. And if you are really sure that you want to come, we shall be delighted to have you. Because, to tell you the truth, I think you are exactly the man we need. End of Part 3, Chapter 1. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Aida Kerman, Portland, Oregon, USA. The Voyages of Dr. Doolittle by Hugh Lofting. Part 3, Chapter 2. Goodbye. Two days after that, we had all the readiness for our departure. On this voyage, Jip begged so hard to be taken that the doctor finally gave in and said he could come. Polynesia and Chi Chi were the only other animals to go with us. Dab Dab was left in charge of the house and the animal family we were to leave behind. Of course, as is always the way, at the last moment we kept remembering things we had forgotten. And when we finally closed the house up and went down the steps to the road, we were all burdened with armfuls and suddenly remembered that he had left the stockpot boiling on the kitchen fire. However, we saw a blackbird flying by who nested in our garden and the doctor asked her to go back for us and tell Dab Dab about it. Down at the river wall, we found a Greek crowd waiting to see us off. Standing right near the gangplank were my mother and father. I hoped that they would not make a scene or burst into tears or anything like that. But as a matter of fact, they behaved quite well for parents. I made sure not to get my feet wet and my father just smiled a crooked sort of smile patted me on the back and wished me luck. Goodbyes are awfully uncomfortable things and I was glad when it was over and we passed on to the ship. We were a little surprised not to see Matthew mugged among the crowd. We had felt sure that he would be there and the doctor had intended to give him some extra instructions about the food for the animals we had left at the house. At last, after much pulling and tugging, we got the anchor up and undid then the curlew began to move gently down the river with the outrunning tide while the people on the wall cheered and waved their handkerchiefs. We bumped into one or two other boats getting out into the stream and at one short bend in the river we got stuck on a mud bank for a few minutes. But though the people on the shore seemed to get very excited at these things the doctor did not appear to be disturbed by them in the least. These little accidents will happen in the most carefully regulated voyages that Matthew had carried on the side and fished for his boots which had got stuck in the mud while we were pushing off. Sailing is much easier when you get out into the open sea. There aren't so many silly things to bump into. For me indeed it was a great and wonderful feeling that getting out into the open sea when at length we passed the little lighthouse at the mouth of the river and found ourselves free of the land. It was also new and different just the sky above you and sea below. This ship which was to be our house had become seen so tiny in all this wide water so tiny and yet so snug, sufficient and safe. I looked around me and took in a deep breath. The doctor was at the wheel steering the boat which was now leaping and plunging gently through the waves. I had expected to feel seasick at first but was delighted to find that I didn't. Bumpo had been told off to go downstairs and prepare dinner for us. Chichi was quelling up ropes in the stern and laying them in neat piles. My work was fastening down the things on the deck that I could roll about if the weather should grow rough when we got further from the land. Chip was up in the peak of the butt with ears cocked and nose stuck out. Like a statue, so still. His keen old eyes keeping a sharp lookout for floating wrecks, sandbars and other dangers. Each one of us had some special job to do part of the proper running of a ship. Even old Polynesia was taking the sea's temperature with the doctor's bath thermometer tied on the end of a string to make sure there were no icebergs near us. As I listened to her being softly to herself because she couldn't read the pesky figures in the fading light I realized that the voyage had begun in earnest and that very soon it would be night, my first night at sea. End of Part 3, Chapter 2 This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org The Voyages of Dr. Doolittle by Hugh Lofting Part 3, Chapter 3 Our Troubles Begin Just before separate time, Bumpo appeared from downstairs and went to the doctor at the wheel. A stowaway in the hold, sir, said he in a very business like seafaring voice. I just discovered him behind the flower bags. Dear me, said the doctor, what a nuisance. Stubbins go down with Bumpo and bring the man up. I can't leave this wheel just now. So Bumpo and I went down into the hold and there behind the flower bags plastered in flower from head to foot. We found a man. After we had swept most of the flower off him with a broom, we discovered that it was Matthew Mug. We hauled him upstairs sneezing and took him before the doctor. Why Matthew, said John Doolittle, what on earth are you doing here? The temptation was too much for me, the doctor said the cats mean man. You know I've often asked you to take me on voyages with you and you never would. Well, this time knowing that you needed an extra man, I thought if I stayed hid till the ship was well at sea you would find I came in handy like and keep me. But I had to lie so doubled up for hours behind them flower bags that my rheumatism came on something awful. I just had to change my position. Of course, just as I stretched out my legs, along comes this here African cook of yours and sees my feet sticking out. Don't this ship roll something awful? How long has this storm been going on? I reckon this damp sea air wouldn't be very good for my rheumatics. No, Matthew, it really isn't. You ought not to have come. You're not in any way suited for this kind of a life. I'm sure you wouldn't enjoy a long voyage a bit. We'll stop in at Pinzance and put you ashore. Bumpo, please go downstairs to my bunk and listen. In the pocket of my dressing gown you'll find some maps. Bring me the small one with blue pencil marks at the top. I know Pinzance is over here on our left somewhere, but I must find out what lighthouses there are before I change the ship's course and settle in shore. So turning around smartly and making for the stairway. Now Matthew said the doctor, you can take the coach from Pinzance to Bristol. And from there it is not very far to Puttleby as you know. Don't forget to take the usual provisions to the house every Thursday and be particularly careful to remember the extra supply of hearings for the baby minks. While we were waiting for the maps, a red one on the right side of the ship, a red one on the left, and a white one on the mast. At last we heard someone trundling on the stairs again and the doctor said, ah, here's Bumpo with the maps at last. But to our great astonishment it was not Bumpo alone that appeared but three people. Good Lord deliver us. Who are these? cried John Dolittle. Two more stowaways, sir, said Bumpo stepping forward briskly. I found them in your cabin, hiding under the bunk. One woman and one man, sir, here are the maps. This is too much, said the Doctor Feebling. Who are they? I can't see their faces in this dim light. Strike a match, Bumpo. You could never guess who it was. It was Luke and his wife. Mrs. Luke appeared to be very miserable and seasick. They explained to the doctor that after they had settled down to live together in the little shack out on the fins, so many people came to visit them, having heard about the great trial, that life became impossible. And they had decided to escape from puddle being this manner. For they had no money to leave any other way and try to find some new place to live, for they and their story wouldn't be so well known. But as soon as the ship had begun to roll, Mrs. Luke had gotten most dreadfully unwell. Poor Luke apologized many times for being such a nuisance and said that the whole thing had been his wife's idea. The doctor, after he had sent below for his medicine bag and had given Mrs. Luke some salvolatil and smelling salts, said he thought the best thing to do would be for him to lend them some money and put them ashore at Penn's Amps with Matthew. He also wrote a letter for Luke to take with him to a friend the doctor had in the town of Penn's Amps who it was hoped would be able to find Luke work to do there. As the doctor opened this purse and took out some gold coins, I heard Polynesia, who was sitting on my shoulder watching the whole affair mutter beneath her breath, there he goes, lending his last, blessed penny three pounds ten, all the money we had for the whole trip. Now we have at the price of a postage stamp aboard if we should lose an anchor or have to buy a pint of tar. Well, let's pray we don't run out of food. Why doesn't he give them the ship and walk home? Presently with the help of the map, the course of the boat was changed and to Mrs. Luke's great relief we made for Penn's Amps and dry land. I was tremendously interested to see how a ship could be steered into a port at night with nothing but lighthouses and a compass to guide you. It seemed to me that the doctor missed all the rocks and sandbars very cleverly. We got into that funny little Cornish Harbor about 11 o'clock that night. The doctor took his stowaways on shore and our small rowboat, which we kept on the deck of the curlew and found them rooms at the hotel there. When he got back he told us that Mrs. Luke had gone straight to bed and was feeling much better. It was now after midnight so we decided to stand the harbor and wait till morning before setting out again. I was glad to get to bed although I felt that staying up so tremendously late was great fun as I climbed into the bunk over the doctors and pulled the blanket snugly around me I found I could look out of the port hole at my elbow and without raising my head from the pillow could see the lights of pinzance swinging gently up and down with the motion of the ship at anchor. It was like being rocked asleep with a little show going on to amuse you. I was just deciding that I liked the life of the sea very much when I fell fast asleep. End of Part 3 Chapter 3 This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org The voyages of Dr. Doolittle by Hugh Lofting Part 3 Chapter 4 Our Troubles Continue The next morning when we were eating a very excellent breakfast of kidneys and bacon prepared by our good cook Bumpo the doctor said to me I was just wondering Stebbins whether I should stop at the Copa Blanca islands or run right across for the coast of Brazil. Miranda said we could expect a spell of excellent weather now for four and a half weeks at least. Well, I said spooning out the sugar at the bottom of my cocoa cup. I should think it would be best to make straight across while we are sure of good weather. And besides the purple bird of paradise is going to keep a look out for us, isn't she? She'll be wondering what happened to us that we don't get there in about a month. True, quite true, Stebbins. On the other hand the Copa Blanca's make a very convenient stopping place on our way across. If we should need supplies or repairs it would be very handy to put in there. How long will it take us from here to the Copa Blanca's I ask? About six days said the doctor. Well, we can decide later. For the next two days at any rate our direction would be the same practically in either case. If you have finished breakfast let's go and get underway. Upstairs I found our vessel surrounded by white and grey seagulls who flashed and circled about in the sunny morning air, looking for food scraps thrown out by the ships into the harbor. By about half past seven we had the anchor up and the sail set to a nice steady breeze. And this time we got out into the open sea without bumping into a single thing. We met the pensance fishing fleet coming in from the night's fishing in very trim and neat they looked and they line like soldiers with their red brown sails all leaning over the same way and the white water dancing before their bowels. For the next three or four days everything went smoothly and nothing unusual happened. During this time we all got settled down into our regular jobs and in spare moments the doctor had each of us how to take our turns at the wheel the proper manner of keeping a ship on her right course and what to do if the wind changed suddenly. We divided the 24 hours of the day into three spells and we took it in turns to sleep our eight hours and be awake 16. So the ship was well looked after with two of us always on duty. Besides that Polynesia who is an older sailor than any of us and really knew a lot about running ships seemed to be always awake except when she took her couple of winks in the sun standing on one leg beside the wheel. You may be sure that no one ever got a chance to stay a bed more than his eight hours while Polynesia was around. She used to watch the ship's clock and if you overslept a half minute she would come down to the cabin and peck you gently on the nose till you got up. I very soon grew to be quite fond of our funny black friend Bumpo with his grand way of speaking and his enormous feet which someone was always stepping on or falling over. Although he was much older than I was and had been to college he never tried to lord it over me. He seemed to be forever smiling and kept all of us in good humor. It wasn't long before I began to see the doctor's good sense in bringing him in spite of the fact that he knew nothing whatever about sailing or travel. On the morning of the fifth day out just as I was taking the wheel over from the doctor Bumpo appeared and said the salt beef is nearly all gone sir the salt beef cried the doctor why we brought 120 pounds with us we couldn't have eaten that in five days what can have become of it I don't know sir I'm sure every time I go down to the stores I find another hunt missing if it is rats that are eating it then they are certainly colossal rodents. Polynesia who was walking up and down a stay road taking her morning exercise put in we must search the hold if this is allowed to go on we will all be starving before a week is out come downstairs with me Tommy and we will look into this matter so he went downstairs into the storeroom Polynesia told us to keep quite still and listen this we did and presently we heard from a dark corner of the hold the distinct sound of someone snoring ah I thought so said Polynesia it's a man and a big one climb in there both of you and haul him out it sounds as though he were behind that barrel gosh we seem to have brought half of puttleby with us anyone would think we were a penny boat such cheek haul him out so Bumpo and I lit a lantern and climbed over the stores and there behind the barrel sure enough we found an enormous bearded man fast asleep with a well fed look on his face we woke him up wash a mirror he said sleepily it was Ben Butcher the able semen Polynesia sputtered like an angry firecracker this is the last straw she said the one man in the world we least wanted shiver my timbers what cheek would it not be advisable suggested Bumpo while the varlet is still sleepy to strike him on the head with some heavy object and push him through a porthole into the sea no we get into trouble say Polynesia we're not in jolly ginky now you know worse luck besides there was never a porthole big enough to push that man through bring him upstairs to the doctor so we led the man to the wheel where he respectfully touched his cap to the doctor another store away sir said Bumpo smartly I thought the poor doctor would have a fit good morning captain said the man Ben Butcher able semen at your service I knew you'd need me so I took the liberty of stowing away much against my conscience but I just couldn't bear to see you poor captain set out on this voyage without a single real semen to help you you'd never have got home alive if I hadn't come I look at your main cell sir all lucid to throw first gust of wind come along and away goes your canvas overboard well it's all right now I'm here we'll soon get things in ship shape no it isn't all right said the doctor it's all wrong and I'm not at all glad to see you I told you in puddle be I didn't want you you had no right to come the captain said the able semen you can't sell this ship without me you don't understand navigation look at the compass now you've let her swing a point and a half offer course it's madness for you to try to do this trip alone if you'll pardon my saying so sir why why you'll lose the ship look here said the doctor and stern look coming into his eyes losing the ship is nothing to me I've lost ships before and it doesn't bother me in the lease when I set out to go to a place I get there do you understand I may know nothing whatever about sailing and navigation but I get there just the same now you may be the best semen in the world but on this ship you're just a plain ordinary nuisance very plain and very ordinary and I am now going to call at the nearest port and put you ashore yes and think yourself lucky Polynesia put in that you are not locked up for storing away in eating all our salt beef I don't know what the mischief we're going to do now I heard her whisper to bumper we've no money to buy anymore and that salt beef was the most important part of the stores wouldn't not be good political economy bumper whispered if we salted the able semen and ate him instead I should judge that he would weigh more than a hundred and twenty pounds how often must I tell you that we are not in Jolaginki Polynesia those things are not done on white men ships still she murmured after a moment thought it's an awfully bright idea I don't suppose anybody saw him come on to the ship oh but heavens we haven't got enough salt besides he'd be sure to taste a tobacco end of part three chapter four this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Tim McKenzie the voyages of Dr. Doolittle by Hugh Lofting part three chapter five Polynesia has a plan then the doctor told me to take the wheel while he made a little calculation with his map and worked out what new course we should take I shall have to run for the cuppa-blancas after all he told me when the semen's back was turned dreadful nuisance but I'd soon as swim back to Puddleby then have to listen to that fellow's talk all the way to Brazil indeed he was a terrible person that's been butcher you'd think that anyone after being told he wasn't wanted would have had the decency to keep quiet but not been butcher he kept going round the deck pointing out all the things we had wrong according to him there wasn't a thing right on the whole ship the anchor was hitched up wrong the hatches weren't fastened down properly the sails were put on back to front all our knots were the wrong kind of knots at last the doctor told him to stop talking and go downstairs he refused said he wasn't going to be sunk by landlubbers while he was still able to stay on deck this made us feel a little uneasy he was such an enormous man there was no knowing what he might do if he got really obstreperous Bumpo and I were talking about this downstairs in the dining saloon when Polynesia, Jip and Chi Chi came and joined us and as usual Polynesia had a plan listen she said I'm certain this Ben Butcher is a smuggler and a bad man I'm a very good judge of semen remember and I don't like the cut of this man's jib I do really think I interrupted that it is safe for the doctor to cross the Atlantic without any regular semen on his ship you see it had upset me quite a good deal to find that all the things we had been doing were wrong and I was beginning to wonder what might happen if we ran into a storm particularly as Miranda had only said the weather would be good for a certain time and we seemed to be having so many delays but Polynesia merely tossed her head scornfully oh bless you my boy said she you're always safe with John Doolittle remember that don't take any notice of that stupid old salt of course it is perfectly true the doctor does do everything wrong but with him it doesn't matter mark my words if you travel with John Doolittle you always get there as you heard him say I've been with him lots of times and I know sometimes the ship is upside down when you get there and sometimes it's right way up but you get there just the same and then of course there's another thing about the doctor she added thoughtfully he always has extraordinary good luck he may have his troubles but with him things seem to have a habit of turning out alright in the end I remember once when we were going through the Straits of Magellan the wind was so strong but what are we going to do about Ben Butcher chip put in you had some plan Polynesia hadn't you yes what I'm afraid of is that he may hit the doctor on the head when he's not looking and make himself captain of the Kurlu bad sailors do that sometimes then they run the ship their own way and take it where they want that's what you call a mutiny yes said chip and we ought to do something pretty quick we can't reach the cuppa-blunkers before the day after tomorrow at best I don't like to leave the doctor alone with him for a minute he smells like a very bad man to me well I've got it all worked out said Polynesia listen is there a key in that door we looked outside the dining room and found that there was all right said Polynesia now Bumpo lays the table for lunch and we all go and hide then at twelve o'clock Bumpo rings the dinner bell down here as soon as Ben hears it he'll come down expecting more salt beef Bumpo must hide behind the door outside the moment that Ben is seated at the dining table Bumpo slams the door and locks it then we've got him see how stratogeneous Bumpo chuckled as Cicero said parrots come parishioners Fusilema congregation I'll lay the table at once yes and take that Worcestershire sauce off the dresser with you when you go out said Polynesia don't leave any loose eatables around that fellow has had enough to last any man for three days besides he won't be so inclined to start a fight when we put him ashore at the cuppa-blunkers if we thin him down a bit before we let him out so we all went and hid ourselves in the passage where we could watch what happened and presently Bumpo came to the foot of the stairs and rang the dinner bell like mad then he hopped behind the dining room door and we all kept still and listened almost immediately thump, thump, thump down the stairs tramped Ben Butcher, the able seaman he walked into the dining saloon sat himself down at the head of the table in the doctor's place tucked a napkin under his faction and heaved a sigh of expectation then bang Bumpo slammed the door and locked it that settles him for a while said Polynesia coming out from her hiding place now let him teach navigation to the sideboard gosh the cheek of that man I've forgotten more about the sea than that lumbering that we'll ever know let's go upstairs and tell the doctor Bumpo, you will have to serve the meals in the cabin for the next couple of days and bursting into a rollicking Norwegian sea song she climbed up to my shoulder and we went on deck end of chapter 5 Polynesia has a plan this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Tim McKenzie the voyages of Dr. Dolittle by Hugh Lofting part 3 chapter 6 the bed maker of Monteverde we remained 3 days in the Kapa Blanca Islands there were two reasons why we stayed there so long when we were really in such a hurry to get away one was the shortage in our provisions caused by the Abel Siemens enormous appetite when we came to go over the stores and make a list we found that he had eaten a whole lot of other things besides the beef and having no money we were sorely puzzled how to buy more the doctor went through his trunk to see if there was anything he could sell but the only thing he could find was an old watch with the hands broken and the back dented in and we decided this would not bring us in enough money to buy much more than a pound of tea Bumpo suggested that he sing comic songs in the streets which he had learnt in Julliginki but the doctor said he did not think that the islanders would care for African music the other thing that kept us was the bullfight in these islands which belonged to Spain they had bullfights every Sunday it was on a Friday that we arrived there and after we had got rid of the Abel Siemens we took a walk through the town it was a very funny little town quite different from any that I had ever seen the streets were all twisty and winding and so narrow that a wagon could only just pass along them the houses overhung at the top and came so close together that people in the attics could lean out of the windows and shake hands with their neighbours on the opposite side of the street the doctor told us the town was very very old it was called Monte Verde as we had no money of course we did not go to a hotel or anything like that but on the second evening when we were passing by a bedmakers shop we noticed several beds which the man had made standing on the pavement outside the doctor started chatting in Spanish to the bedmaker who was sitting at his door whistling to a parrot in a cage the doctor and the bedmaker were very friendly talking about birds and things and as it grew near to supper time the man asked us to stop and sup with him this of course we were very glad to do and after the meal was over very nice dishes they were mostly cooked in olive oil I particularly liked the fried bananas we sat outside on the pavement again and went on talking far into the night at last when we got up to go back to our ship we wouldn't hear of our going away on any account he said the streets down by the harbour were very badly lighted and there was no moon we would surely get lost he invited us to spend the night with him and go back to our ship in the morning well we finally agreed and as our good friend had no spare bedrooms the three of us the doctor Bumpo and I slept on the bed set out for sale on the pavement before the shop the night was so hot we needed no coverings it was great fun to fall asleep out of doors like this watching the people walking to and fro and the gay life of the streets it seemed to me that Spanish people never went to bed at all later as it was all the little restaurants and cafes around us were wide open with customers drinking coffee and chatting merrily at the small tables outside the sound of a guitar strumming softly in the distance mingled with the clatter of chinaware and the babble of voices somehow it made me think of my mother and father far away in puddleby with their regular habits the evening practice on the flute and the rest doing the same thing every day I felt sort of sorry for them in a way because they missed the fun of this travelling life where we were doing something new all the time even sleeping differently but I suppose if they had been invited to go to bed on a pavement in front of a shop they wouldn't have cared for the idea at all it is funny how some people are end of chapter 6 the bedmaker of Monteverde this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Tim McKenzie the voyages of Dr. Doolittle by Hugh Lofton part 3 chapter 7 The Doctor's Wager next morning we were awakened by a great racket there was a procession coming down the street a number of men in very gay clothes followed by a large crowd of admiring ladies and cheering children I asked the doctor who they were they are bullfighters he said there is to be a bullfight tomorrow what is a bullfight? I asked to my great surprise the doctor got red in the face with anger it reminded me of the time when he had spoken of the lions and tigers in his private zoo a bullfighter's a stupid cruel disgusting business said he these Spanish people are most lovable and hospitable folk how they can enjoy these wretched bullfights as a thing I could never understand then the doctor went on to explain to me how a bull was first made very angry by teasing and then allowed to run into a circus where men came out with red cloaks, waved them at him and ran away next the bull was allowed to tire himself out by tossing and killing a lot of poor old broken down horses who couldn't defend themselves then when the bull was thoroughly out of breath and worried by this a man came out with a sword and killed the bull every Sunday said the doctor in almost every big town in Spain there are six bulls killed like that in as many horses but aren't the men ever killed by the bull I asked unfortunately very seldom said he a bull is not nearly as dangerous as he looks even when he's angry if you are only quick on your feet and don't lose your head these bullfighters are very clever and dimble and the people, especially the Spanish ladies don't think no end of them a famous bullfighter or matador as they call him is a more important man in Spain than a king here comes another crowd of them round the corner, look see the girls throwing kisses to them ridiculous business at that moment our friend the bed maker came out to see the procession go past and while he was wishing us good morning and inquiring how we had slept a friend of his walked up and joined us the bed maker introduced this friend to us as Don Enrique Cardenas Don Enrique when he heard where we were from spoke to us in English he appeared to be a well educated gentlemanly sort of person and you go to see the bullfight tomorrow yes he asked the doctor pleasantly certainly not said John do little firmly I don't like bullfights cruel cowardly shows Don Enrique nearly exploded I never saw a man gets so excited he told the doctor that he didn't know what he was talking about he said bullfighting was a noble sport and that the matadors were the bravest men in the world oh rubbish said the doctor you never give the poor bull a chance it is only when he is all tired and dazed that your precious matadors dare to try and kill him I thought the Spaniard was going to strike the doctor he got so angry while he was still spluttering to find words the bedmaker came between them and took the doctor aside he explained to John do little in a whisper that this Don Enrique Cardenas was a very important person that he it was who supplied the bulls a special strong black kind from his own farm for all the bullfights in the Capa Plancas he was a very rich man the bedmaker said a most important personage he mustn't be allowed to take offence on any account I watched the doctor's face as the bedmaker finished and I saw a flash of boyish mischief come into his eyes as though an idea had struck him he turned to the angry Spaniard Don Enrique he said you tell me your bullfighters are very brave men and skillful it seems I have offended you by saying that bullfighting is a poor sport what is the name of the best matador you have for tomorrow's show Pepito de Malaga said Don Enrique one of the greatest names one of the bravest men in all Spain very well said the doctor I have a proposal to make to you I have never fought a bull in my life now supposing I were to go into the ring tomorrow with Pepito de Malaga and any other matador you choose and if I can do more tricks with the bull than they can would you promise to do something for me Don Enrique threw back his head and laughed man he said you must be mad you would be killed at once one has to be trained for years to become a proper bullfighter supposing I were willing to take the risk of that you're not afraid I take it to accept my offer the Spaniard frowned afraid he cried sir if you can beat Pepito de Malaga in the bullring I'll promise you anything it is possible for me to grant you good said the doctor now I understand that you are quite a powerful man in these islands if you wish to stop all bullfighting here after tomorrow you could do it couldn't you yes said Don Enrique proudly I could well that is what I ask of you if I win my wager said John do little if I can do more with angry bulls than can Pepito de Malaga you are to promise me that there shall never be another bullfight in the Capa Blancas so long as you are alive to stop it is it a bargain the Spaniard held out his hand it is a bargain he said I promise but I must warn you that you are merely throwing your life away for you will certainly be killed however that is no more than you deserve for saying that bullfighting is an unworthy sport I will meet you here tomorrow morning if you should wish to arrange any particulars good day sir as the Spaniard turned he walked into the shop with the bedmaker Polynesia who had been listening as usual flew up onto my shoulder and whispered in my ear I have a plan get hold of Bumpo and come some place where the doctor can't hear us I want to talk to you I nudged Bumpo's elbow and we crossed the street and pretended to look into a jeweler's window while the doctor sat down upon his bed to lace up his boots the only part of his clothing was taken off for the night listen said Polynesia I've been breaking my head trying to think up some way where you can get money to buy those stores with and at last I've got it the money said Bumpo no stupid the idea to make the money with listen the doctor is simply bound to win this game tomorrow sure as you're alive now all we have to do is make a side bit with these Spaniards they're great on gambling and the trick's done that's a side bit I asked oh I know what that is said Bumpo proudly we used to have lots of them at Oxford when boat racing was on I go to Don Enric and say I bet you a hundred pounds the doctor wins then if he does win Don Enric pays me a hundred pounds and if he doesn't I have to pay Don Enric that's the idea said Polynesia only don't say a hundred pounds say two thousand five hundred now come and find old Don Ricky Ticky and try to look rich so we crossed the street again and slipped into the bed makers shop while the doctor was still busy with his boots Don Enric said Bumpo allow me to introduce myself I am the crown prince of Jolli Ginkie would you care to have a small bet with me on tomorrow's bullfight Don Enric bowed why certainly he said I shall be delighted but I must warn you that you are bound to lose how much oh a mere truffle said Bumpo just for the fun of the thing you know what do you say to three thousand passators I agree said the Spaniard bowing once more I will meet you after the bullfight tomorrow so that's all right said Polynesia as we came out to join the doctor