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voicesthousands and millions of themto
show that they too were glad that the boy's brave
uncle had been found。 The noise they made
was so great that sailors far out at sea thought
that a terrible storm was coming。 〃Hark to
that gale howling in the East！〃 they said。
And Jip was awfully proud of himself
though he tried hard not to look conceited。
When Dab…Dab came to him and said； 〃Jip； I
had no idea you were so clever！〃 he just tossed
his head and answered；
〃Oh； that's nothing special。 But it takes a
dog to find a man； you know。 Birds are no good
for a game like that。〃
Then the Doctor asked the red…haired fisherman
where his home was。 And when he had
told him； the Doctor asked the swallows to guide
the ship there first。
And when they had come to the land which
the man had spoken of； they saw a little fishing…
town at the foot of a rocky mountain； and the
man pointed out the house where he lived。
And while they were letting down the anchor；
the little boy's mother （who was also the man's
sister） came running down to the shore to meet
them； laughing and crying at the same time。
She had been sitting on a hill for twenty days；
watching the sea and waiting for them to
return。
And she kissed the Doctor many times； so that
he giggled and blushed like a school…girl。 And
she tried to kiss Jip too； but he ran away and
hid inside the ship。
〃It's a silly business； this kissing；〃 he said。
〃I don't hold by it。 Let her go and kiss Gub…
Gubif she MUST kiss something。〃
The fisherman and his sister didn't want the
Doctor to go away again in a hurry。 They
begged him to spend a few days with them。 So
John Dolittle and his animals had to stay at
their house a whole Saturday and Sunday and
half of Monday。
And all the little boys of the fishing…village
went down to the beach and pointed at the great
ship anchored there； and said to one another in
whispers；
〃Look！ That was a pirate…shipBen Ali's
the most terrible pirate that ever sailed the
Seven Seas！ That old gentleman with the high
hat； who's staying up at Mrs。 Trevelyan's； HE
took the ship away from The Barbary Dragon
and made him into a farmer。 Who'd have
thought it of himhim so gentlelike and all！
。。。 Look at the great red sails！ Ain't she the
wicked…looking shipand fast？My！〃
All those two days and a half that the Doctor
stayed at the little fishing…town the people kept
asking him out to teas and luncheons and dinners
and parties； all the ladies sent him boxes
of flowers and candies； and the village…band
played tunes under his window every night。
At last the Doctor said；
〃Good people； I must go home now。 You
have really been most kind。 I shall always
remember it。 But I must go homefor I have
things to do。〃
Then； just as the Doctor was about to leave；
the Mayor of the town came down the street
and a lot of other people in grand clothes with
him。 And the Mayor stopped before the house
where the Doctor was living； and everybody in
the village gathered round to see what was going
to happen。
After six page…boys had blown on shining
trumpets to make the people stop talking； the
Doctor came out on to the steps and the Mayor
spoke。
〃Doctor John Dolittle；〃 said he： 〃It is a
great pleasure for me to present to the man who
rid the seas of the Dragon of Barbary this little
token from the grateful people of our worthy
Town。〃
And the Mayor took from his pocket a little
tissue…paper packet； and opening it； he handed
to the Doctor a perfectly beautiful watch with
real diamonds in the back。
Then the Mayor pulled out of his pocket a
still larger parcel and said；
〃Where is the dog？〃
Then everybody started to hunt for Jip。 And
at last Dab…Dab found him on the other side
of the village in a stable…yard； where all the
dogs of the country…side were standing round
him speechless with admiration and respect。
When Jip was brought to the Doctor's side；
the Mayor opened the larger parcel； and inside
was a dog…collar made of solid gold！ And a
great murmur of wonder went up from the village…
folk as the Mayor bent down and fastened
it round the dog's neck with his own hands。
For written on the collar in big letters were
these words： 〃JIP…THE CLEVEREST DOG IN THE WORLD。〃
Then the whole crowd moved down to the
beach to see them off。 And after the red…haired
fisherman and his sister and the little boy had
thanked the Doctor and his dog over and over
and over again； the great； swift ship with the
red sails was turned once more towards Puddleby
and they sailed out to sea； while the village…
band played music on the shore。
THE LAST CHAPTER
HOME AGAIN
MARCH winds had come and gone； April's showers were
over； May's buds had opened into flower； and the June sun
was shining on the pleasant fields； when John Dolittle at
last got back to his own country。
But he did not yet go home to Puddleby。
First he went traveling through the land with
the pushmi…pullyu in a gipsy…wagon； stopping at
all the country…fairs。 And there； with the acrobats
on one side of them and the Punch…and…
Judy show on the other； they would hang out
a big sign which read； 〃COME AND SEE THE
MARVELOUS TWO…HEADED ANIMAL FROM THE
JUNGLES OF AFRICA。 Admission SIXPENCE。〃
And the pushmi…pullyu would stay inside the
wagon； while the other animals would lie about
underneath。 The Doctor sat in a chair in front
taking the sixpences and smiling on the people
as they went in； and Dab…Dab was kept busy
all the time scolding him because he would
let the children in for nothing when she wasn't
looking。
And menagerie…keepers and circus…men came
and asked the Doctor to sell them the strange
creature； saying they would pay a tremendous
lot of money for him。 But the Doctor always
shook his head and said。
〃No。 The pushmi…pullyu shall never be shut
up in a cage。 He shall be free always to come
and go； like you and me。〃
Many curious sights and happenings they saw
in this wandering life； but they all seemed quite
ordinary after the great things they had seen
and done in foreign lands。 It was very interesting
at first； being sort of part of a circus；
but after a few weeks they all got dreadfully
tired of it and the Doctor and all of them were
longing to go home。
But so many people came flocking to the
little wagon and paid the sixpence to go inside and
see the pushmi…pullyu that very soon the Doctor
was able to give up being a showman。
And one fine day； when the hollyhocks were
in full bloom； he came back to Puddleby a rich
man； to live in the little house with the big
garden。
And the old lame horse in the stable was glad
to see him； and so were the swallows who had
already built their nests under the eaves of his
roof and had young ones。 A