English
ThatWinterwasaverycoldone.AndonenightinDecember,whentheywereallsittingroundthewarmfireinthekitchen,andtheDoctorwasreadingaloudtothemoutofbookshehadwrittenhimselfinanimal–language,theowl,Too–Too,suddenlysaid,"Sh!What'sthatnoiseoutside?"
Theyalllistened;andpresentlytheyheardthesoundofsomeonerunning.Thenthedoorflewopenandthemonkey,Chee–Chee,ranin,badlyoutofbreath.
"Doctor!"hecried,"I'vejusthadamessagefromacousinofmineinAfrica.
Thereisaterriblesicknessamongthemonkeysoutthere.
Theyareallcatchingit—andtheyaredyinginhundreds.
Theyhaveheardofyou,andbegyoutocometoAfricatostopthesickness."
"Whobroughtthemessage?"askedtheDoctor,takingoffhisspectaclesandlayingdownhisbook.
"Aswallow,"saidChee–Chee."Sheisoutsideontherain–butt."
"Bringherinbythefire,"saidtheDoctor."Shemustbeperishedwiththecold.TheswallowsflewSouthsixweeksago!"
Sotheswallowwasbroughtin,allhuddledandshivering;andalthoughshewasalittleafraidatfirst,shesoongotwarmedupandsatontheedgeofthemantelpieceandbegantotalk.
WhenshehadfinishedtheDoctorsaid,
"IwouldgladlygotoAfrica—especiallyinthisbitterweather.ButI'mafraidwehaven'tmoneyenoughtobuythetickets.Getmethemoney–box,Chee–Chee."
Sothemonkeyclimbedupandgotitoffthetopshelfofthedresser.
Therewasnothinginit—notonesinglepenny!
"Ifeltsuretherewastwopenceleft,"saidtheDoctor.
"ThereWAS,"saidtheowl."Butyouspentitonarattleforthatbadger'sbabywhenhewasteething."
"DidI?"saidtheDoctor—"dearme,dearme!Whatanuisancemoneyis,tobesure!Well,nevermind.
PerhapsifIgodowntotheseasideIshallbeabletoborrowaboatthatwilltakeustoAfrica.
Iknewaseamanoncewhobroughthisbabytomewithmeasles.
Maybehe'lllendushisboat—thebabygotwell."
SoearlythenextmorningtheDoctorwentdowntotheseashore.Andwhenhecamebackhetoldtheanimalsitwasallright—thesailorwasgoingtolendthemtheboat.
Thenthecrocodileandthemonkeyandtheparrotwereverygladandbegantosing,becausetheyweregoingbacktoAfrica,theirrealhome.AndtheDoctorsaid,
"Ishallonlybeabletotakeyouthree—withJipthedog,Dab–Dabtheduck,Gub–Gubthepigandtheowl,Too–Too.
Therestoftheanimals,likethedormiceandthewater–volesandthebats,theywillhavetogobackandliveinthefieldswheretheywereborntillwecomehomeagain.
ButasmostofthemsleepthroughtheWinter,theywon'tmindthat—andbesides,itwouldn'tbegoodforthemtogotoAfrica."
Sothentheparrot,whohadbeenonlongsea–voyagesbefore,begantellingtheDoctorallthethingshewouldhavetotakewithhimontheship.
"Youmusthaveplentyofpilot–bread,"shesaid—"'hardtack'theycallit.Andyoumusthavebeefincans—andananchor."
"Iexpecttheshipwillhaveitsownanchor,"saidtheDoctor.
"Well,makesure,"saidPolynesia."Becauseit'sveryimportant.Youcan'tstopifyouhaven'tgotananchor.Andyou'llneedabell."
"What'sthatfor?"askedtheDoctor.
"Totellthetimeby,"saidtheparrot."Yougoandringiteveryhalf–hourandthenyouknowwhattimeitis.Andbringawholelotofrope—italwayscomesinhandyonvoyages."
Thentheybegantowonderwheretheyweregoingtogetthemoneyfromtobuyallthethingstheyneeded.
"Oh,botherit!Moneyagain,"criedtheDoctor."Goodness!
IshallbegladtogettoAfricawherewedon'thavetohaveany!
I'llgoandaskthegrocerifhewillwaitforhismoneytillIgetback—No,I'llsendthesailortoaskhim."
Sothesailorwenttoseethegrocer.Andpresentlyhecamebackwithallthethingstheywanted.
Thentheanimalspackedup;andaftertheyhadturnedoffthewatersothepipeswouldn'tfreeze,andputuptheshutters,theyclosedthehouseandgavethekeytotheoldhorsewholivedinthestable.
AndwhentheyhadseenthattherewasplentyofhayinthelofttolastthehorsethroughtheWinter,theycarriedalltheirluggagedowntotheseashoreandgotontotheboat.
TheCat's–meat–Manwastheretoseethemoff;andhebroughtalargesuet–puddingasapresentfortheDoctorbecause,hesaidhehadbeentold,youcouldn'tgetsuet–puddingsinforeignparts.
Assoonastheywereontheship,Gub–Gub,thepig,askedwherethebedswere,foritwasfouro'clockintheafternoonandhewantedhisnap.
SoPolynesiatookhimdownstairsintotheinsideoftheshipandshowedhimthebeds,setallontopofoneanotherlikebook–shelvesagainstawall.
"Why,thatisn'tabed!"criedGub–Gub."That'sashelf!"
"Bedsarealwayslikethatonships,"saidtheparrot."Itisn'tashelf.Climbupintoitandgotosleep.That'swhatyoucall'abunk.'"
"Idon'tthinkI'llgotobedyet,"saidGub–Gub."I'mtooexcited.Iwanttogoupstairsagainandseethemstart."
"Well,thisisyourfirsttrip,"saidPolynesia."Youwillgetusedtothelifeafterawhile."Andshewentbackupthestairsoftheship,hummingthissongtoherself,
I'veseentheBlackSeaandtheRedSea;
IroundedtheIsleofWight;
IdiscoveredtheYellowRiver,
AndtheOrangetoobynight.
NowGreenlanddropsbehindagain,
AndIsailtheoceanBlue.
I'mtiredofallthesecolors,Jane,
SoI'mcomingbacktoyou.
Theywerejustgoingtostartontheirjourney,whentheDoctorsaidhewouldhavetogobackandaskthesailorthewaytoAfrica.
Buttheswallowsaidshehadbeentothatcountrymanytimesandwouldshowthemhowtogetthere.
SotheDoctortoldChee–Cheetopulluptheanchorandthevoyagebegan.
Share this article to
FINISH