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give them any more fish； he said；
〃Never mind。 So long as the hens lay eggs
and the cow gives milk we can have omelettes
and junket。 And there are plenty of vegetables
left in the garden。 The Winter is still a long
way off。 Don't fuss。 That was the trouble
with Sarahshe would fuss。 I wonder how
Sarah's getting onan excellent womanin
some waysWell； well！〃
But the snow came earlier than usual that
year； and although the old lame horse hauled
in plenty of wood from the forest outside the
town； so they could have a big fire in the kitchen；
most of the vegetables in the garden were gone；
and the rest were covered with snow； and many
of the animals were really hungry。
THE FOURTH CHAPTER
A MESSAGE FROM AFRICA
THAT Winter was a very cold one。 And one night in December；
when they were all sitting round the warm fire in the
kitchen； and the Doctor was reading aloud to them out of
books he had written himself in animal…language； the owl；
Too…Too； suddenly said； 〃Sh！ What's that noise outside？〃
They all listened； and presently they heard
the sound of some one running。 Then the door
flew open and the monkey； Chee…Chee； ran in；
badly out of breath。
〃Doctor！〃 he cried； 〃I've just had a message
from a cousin of mine in Africa。 There is a
terrible sickness among the monkeys out there。
They are all catching itand they are dying
in hundreds。 They have heard of you； and beg
you to come to Africa to stop the sickness。〃
〃Who brought the message？〃 asked the Doctor；
taking off his spectacles and laying down
his book。
〃A swallow；〃 said Chee…Chee。 〃She is
outside on the rain…butt。〃
〃Bring her in by the fire；〃 said the Doctor。
〃She must be perished with the cold。 The swallows
flew South six weeks ago！〃
So the swallow was brought in； all huddled
and shivering； and although she was a little
afraid at first； she soon got warmed up and sat
on the edge of the mantelpiece and began to talk。
When she had finished the Doctor said；
〃I would gladly go to Africaespecially in
this bitter weather。 But I'm afraid we haven't
money enough to buy the tickets。 Get me the
money…box； Chee…Chee。〃
So the monkey climbed up and got it off the
top shelf of the dresser。
There was nothing in itnot one single penny！
〃I felt sure there was twopence left；〃 said the Doctor。
〃There WAS；〃 said the owl。 〃But you spent
it on a rattle for that badger's baby when he
was teething。〃
〃Did I？〃 said the Doctor〃dear me； dear
me！ What a nuisance money is； to be sure！
Well； never mind。 Perhaps if I go down to
the seaside I shall be able to borrow a boat that
will take us to Africa。 I knew a seaman once
who brought his baby to me with measles。
Maybe he'll lend us his boatthe baby got well。〃
So early the next morning the Doctor went
down to the seashore。 And when he came back
he told the animals it was all rightthe sailor
was going to lend them the boat。
Then the crocodile and the monkey and the
parrot were very glad and began to sing；
because they were going back to Africa； their real
home。 And the Doctor said；
〃I shall only be able to take you threewith
Jip the dog； Dab…Dab the duck； Gub…Gub the
pig and the owl； Too…Too。 The rest of the animals；
like the dormice and the water…voles and
the bats； they will have to go back and live in
the fields where they were born till we come
home again。 But as most of them sleep through
the Winter； they won't mind thatand besides；
it wouldn't be good for them to go to Africa。〃
So then the parrot； who had been on long sea…
voyages before； began telling the Doctor all the
things he would have to take with him on the ship。
〃You must have plenty of pilot…bread；〃 she
said〃‘hard tack' they call it。 And you must
have beef in cansand an anchor。〃
〃I expect the ship will have its own anchor；〃
said the Doctor。
〃Well； make sure；〃 said Polynesia。 〃Because
it's very important。 You can't stop if you
haven't got an anchor。 And you'll need a bell。〃
〃What's that for？〃 asked the Doctor。
〃To tell the time by；〃 said the parrot。 〃You
go and ring it every half…hour and then you
know what time it is。 And bring a whole lot of
ropeit always comes in handy on voyages。〃
Then they began to wonder where they were
going to get the money from to buy all the
things they needed。
〃Oh； bother it！ Money again；〃 cried the
Doctor。 〃Goodness！ I shall be glad to get to
Africa where we don't have to have any！ I'll
go and ask the grocer if he will wait for his
money till I get backNo； I'll send the sailor
to ask him。〃
So the sailor went to see the grocer。 And presently
he came back with all the things they wanted。
Then the animals packed up； and after they
had turned off the water so the pipes wouldn't
freeze； and put up the shutters； they closed the
house and gave the key to the old horse who
lived in the stable。 And when they had seen
that there was plenty of hay in the loft to last
the horse through the Winter； they carried all
their luggage down to the seashore and got on
to the boat。
The Cat's…meat…Man was there to see them
off； and he brought a large suet…pudding as a
present for the Doctor because； he said he had
been told； you couldn't get suet…puddings in
foreign parts。
As soon as they were on the ship； Gub…Gub；
the pig； asked where the beds were； for it was
four o'clock in the afternoon and he wanted
his nap。 So Polynesia took him downstairs into
the inside of the ship and showed him the beds；
set all on top of one another like book…shelves
against a wall。
〃Why； that isn't a bed！〃 cried Gub…Gub。
〃That's a shelf！〃
〃Beds are always like that on ships；〃 said the
parrot。 〃It isn't a shelf。 Climb up into it and
go to sleep。 That's what you call ‘a bunk。'〃
〃I don't think I'll go to bed yet；〃 said Gub…
Gub。 〃I'm too excited。 I want to go upstairs
again and see them start。〃
〃Well； this is your first trip；〃 said Polynesia。
〃You will get used to the life after a while。〃
And she went back up the stairs of the ship；
humming this song to herself；
I've seen the Black Sea and the Red Sea；
I rounded the Isle of Wight；
I discovered the Yellow River；
And the Orange too by night。
Now Greenland drops behind again；
And I sail the ocean Blue。
I'm tired of all these colors； Jane；
So I'm coming back to you。
They were just going to start on their journey；
when the Doctor said he would have to go back
and ask the sailor the way to Africa。
But the swallow said she had been to that
country many times and would show them how
to get there。
So the Doctor told Chee…Chee to pull up the
anchor and the voyage began。
THE FIFTH CHAPTER
THE GREAT JOURNEY
NOW for six whole weeks they we