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So the Doctor tumbled out of bed and went
to the rudder to steer the ship。
〃Now I'll go up to the front；〃 said Jip； 〃and
you watch my nosewhichever way I point it；
you turn the ship the same way。 The man cannot
be far offwith the smell as strong as
this。 And the wind's all lovely and wet。 Now
watch me！〃
So all that morning Jip stood in the front
part of the ship； sniffing the wind and pointing
the way for the Doctor to steer； while all the
animals and the little boy stood round with their
eyes wide open； watching the dog in wonder。
About lunch…time Jip asked Dab…Dab to tell
the Doctor that he was getting worried and
wanted to speak to him。 So Dab…Dab went and
fetched the Doctor from the other end of the
ship and Jip said to him；
〃The boy's uncle is starving。 We must make
the ship go as fast as we can。〃
〃How do you know he is starving？〃 asked the Doctor。
〃Because there is no other smell in the West
wind but snuff；〃 said Jip。 〃If the man were
cooking or eating food of any kind； I would
be bound to smell it too。 But he hasn't even
fresh water to drink。 All he is taking is snuff
in large pinches。 We are getting nearer to
him all the time； because the smell grows
stronger every minute。 But make the ship go
as fast as you can； for I am certain that the
man is starving。〃
〃All right；〃 said the Doctor； and he sent
Dab…Dab to ask the swallows to pull the ship；
the same as they had done when the pirates were
chasing them。
So the stout little birds came down and once
more harnessed themselves to the ship。
And now the boat went bounding through the
waves at a terrible speed。 It went so fast that
the fishes in the sea had to jump for their lives
to get out of the way and not be run over。
And all the animals got tremendously excited；
and they gave up looking at Jip and turned to
watch the sea in front； to spy out any land or
islands where the starving man might be。
But hour after hour went by and still the ship
went rushing on； over the same flat； flat sea； and
no land anywhere came in sight。
And now the animals gave up chattering and
sat around silent； anxious and miserable。 The
little boy again grew sad。 And on Jip's face
there was a worried look。
At last； late in the afternoon； just as the sun
was going down； the owl； Too…Too； who
was perched on the tip of the mast； suddenly
startled them all by crying out at the top of his
voice；
〃Jip！ Jip！ I see a great； great rock in front
of uslookway out there where the sky and
the water meet。 See the sun shine on itlike
gold！ Is the smell coming from there？〃
And Jip called back；
〃Yes。 That's it。 That is where the man is。
At last； at last！〃
And when they got nearer they could see that
the rock was very largeas large as a big field。
No trees grew on it； no grassnothing。 The
great rock was as smooth and as bare as the back
of a tortoise。
Then the Doctor sailed the ship right round
the rock。 But nowhere on it could a man be
seen。 All the animals screwed up their eyes
and looked as hard as they could； and John
Dolittle got a telescope from downstairs。
But not one living thing could they spy
not even a gull； nor a star…fish； nor a shred of
sea…weed。
They all stood still and listened； straining
their ears for any sound。 But the only noise
they heard was the gentle lapping of the little
waves against the sides of their ship。
Then they all started calling； 〃Hulloa； there！
HULLOA！〃 till their voices were hoarse。
But only the echo came back from the rock。
And the little boy burst into tears and said；
〃I am afraid I shall never see my uncle any
more！ What shall I tell them when I get home！〃
But Jip called to the Doctor；
〃He must be therehe mustHE MUST！
The smell goes on no further。 He must be
there； I tell you！ Sail the ship close to the rock
and let me jump out on it。〃
So the Doctor brought the ship as close as
he could and let down the anchor。 Then he
and Jip got out of the ship on to the rock。
Jip at once put his nose down close to the
ground and began to run all over the place。 Up
and down he went； back and forthzig…zagging；
twisting； doubling and turning。 And
everywhere he went； the Doctor ran behind him；
close at his heelstill he was terribly out of
breath。
At last Jip let out a great bark and sat down。
And when the Doctor came running up to him；
he found the dog staring into a big； deep hole in
the middle of the rock。
〃The boy's uncle is down there；〃 said Jip
quietly。 〃No wonder those silly eagles couldn't
see him！It takes a dog to find a man。〃
So the Doctor got down into the hole； which
seemed to be a kind of cave； or tunnel； running
a long way under the ground。 Then he struck
a match and started to make his way along the
dark passage with Jip following behind。
The Doctor's match soon went out； and he
had to strike another and another and another。
At last the passage came to an end； and the
Doctor found himself in a kind of tiny room
with walls of rock。
And there； in the middle of the room； his
head resting on his arms； lay a man with very
red hairfast asleep！
Jip went up and sniffed at something lying
on the ground beside him。 The Doctor stooped
and picked it up。 It was an enormous snuff…
box。 And it was full of Black Rappee！
THE TWENTIETH CHAPTER
THE FISHERMAN'S TOWN
GENTLY thenvery gently； the Doctor woke the man up。
But just at that moment the match went out again。
And the man thought it was Ben Ali coming back；
and he began to punch the Doctor in the dark。
But when John Dolittle told him who it was；
and that he had his little nephew safe on his
ship； the man was tremendously glad； and said
he was sorry he had fought the Doctor。 He
had not hurt him much thoughbecause it was
too dark to punch properly。 Then he gave the
Doctor a pinch of snuff。
And the man told how the Barbary Dragon
had put him on to this rock and left him there；
when he wouldn't promise to become a pirate；
and how he used to sleep down in this hole
because there was no house on the rock to keep
him warm。
And then he said；
〃For four days I have had nothing to eat or
drink。 I have lived on snuff。〃
〃There you are！〃 said Jip。 〃What did I tell you？〃
So they struck some more matches and made
their way out through the passage into the daylight；
and the Doctor hurried the man down to
the boat to get some soup。
When the animals and the little boy saw the
Doctor and Jip coming back to the ship with
a red…headed man； they began to cheer and yell
and dance about the boat。 And the swallows
up above started whistling at the top of their
voicesthousands and millions of themto
show that they too were glad that the boy's brave
uncle had bee