Thenhemadeallhisservantsgotoo—hiscooksandhisgardenersandhisbarberandPrinceBumpo'stutor—eventheQueen,whowastiredfromdancinginapairoftightshoes,waspackedofftohelpthesoldiersintheirsearch.
AllthistimetheDoctorandhisanimalswererunningthroughtheforesttowardstheLandoftheMonkeysasfastastheycouldgo.
Gub–Gub,withhisshortlegs,soongottired;andtheDoctorhadtocarryhim—whichmadeitprettyhardwhentheyhadthetrunkandthehand–bagwiththemaswell.
TheKingoftheJolliginkithoughtitwouldbeeasyforhisarmytofindthem,becausetheDoctorwasinastrangelandandwouldnotknowhisway.
Buthewaswrong;becausethemonkey,Chee–Chee,knewallthepathsthroughthejungle—bettereventhantheKing'smendid.
AndheledtheDoctorandhispetstotheverythickestpartoftheforest—aplacewherenomanhadeverbeenbefore—andhidthemallinabighollowtreebetweenhighrocks.
"Wehadbetterwaithere,"saidChee–Chee,"tillthesoldiershavegonebacktobed.ThenwecangoonintotheLandoftheMonkeys."
TheyoftenheardtheKing'smensearchingandtalkinginthejungleroundabout.Buttheywerequitesafe,fornooneknewofthathiding–placebutChee–Chee—noteventheothermonkeys.
Atlast,whendaylightbegantocomethroughthethickleavesoverhead,theyheardQueenErmintrudesayinginaverytiredvoicethatitwasnouselookinganymore—thattheymightaswellgobackandgetsomesleep.
Assoonasthesoldiershadallgonehome,Chee–CheebroughttheDoctorandhisanimalsoutofthehiding–placeandtheysetofffortheLandoftheMonkeys.
Itwasalong,longway;andtheyoftengotverytired—especiallyGub–Gub.Butwhenhecriedtheygavehimmilkoutofthecocoanutswhichhewasveryfondof.
Theyalwayshadplentytoeatanddrink;becauseChee–CheeandPolynesiaknewallthedifferentkindsoffruitsandvegetablesthatgrowinthejungle,andwheretofindthem—likedatesandfigsandground–nutsandgingerandyams.
Theyusedtomaketheirlemonadeoutofthejuiceofwildoranges,sweetenedwithhoneywhichtheygotfromthebees'nestsinhollowtrees.
Nomatterwhatitwastheyaskedfor,Chee–CheeandPolynesiaalwaysseemedtobeabletogetitforthem—orsomethinglikeit.
ThentheDoctorusedtomakealittlefireofsticks;andaftertheyhadhadtheirsupper,theywouldsitrounditinaring,listeningtoPolynesiasingingsongsaboutthesea,ortoChee–Cheetellingstoriesofthejungle.
Becausealthoughthemonkeyshadnohistory–booksoftheirownbeforeDoctorDolittlecametowritethemforthem,theyremembereverythingthathappensbytellingstoriestotheirchildren.
AndChee–Cheespokeofmanythingshisgrandmotherhadtoldhim—talesoflong,long,longago,beforeNoahandtheFlood—ofthedayswhenmendressedinbear–skinsandlivedinholesintherockandatetheirmuttonraw,becausetheydidnotknowwhatcookingwas—havingneverseenafire.
AndhetoldthemoftheGreatMammothsandLizards,aslongasatrain,thatwanderedoverthemountainsinthosetimes,nibblingfromthetree–tops.
Andoftentheygotsointerestedlistening,thatwhenhehadfinishedtheyfoundtheirfirehadgonerightout;andtheyhadtoscurryroundtogetmoresticksandbuildanewone.
NowwhentheKing'sarmyhadgonebackandtoldtheKingthattheycouldn'tfindtheDoctor,theKingsentthemoutagainandtoldthemtheymuststayinthejungletilltheycaughthim.
Soallthistime,whiletheDoctorandhisanimalsweregoingalongtowardstheLandoftheMonkeys,thinkingthemselvesquitesafe,theywerestillbeingfollowedbytheKing'smen.
OnedayChee–Cheeclimbedupahighrockandlookedoutoverthetree–tops.AndwhenhecamedownhesaidtheywerenowquiteclosetotheLandoftheMonkeysandwouldsoonbethere.
Andthatsameevening,sureenough,theysawChee–Chee'scousinandalotofothermonkeys,whohadnotyetgotsick,sittinginthetreesbytheedgeofaswamp,lookingandwaitingforthem.
Andwhentheysawthefamousdoctorreallycome,thesemonkeysmadeatremendousnoise,cheeringandwavingleavesandswingingoutofthebranchestogreethim.
Theywantedtocarryhisbagandhistrunkandeverythinghehad—andoneofthebiggeronesevencarriedGub–Gubwhohadgottiredagain.
ButtheKing'smen,whowerestillfollowing,hadheardthenoiseofthemonkeyscheering;andtheyatlastknewwheretheDoctorwas,andhastenedontocatchhim.
ThebigmonkeycarryingGub–Gubwascomingalongbehindslowly,andhesawtheCaptainofthearmysneakingthroughthetrees.SohehurriedaftertheDoctorandtoldhimtorun.
Thentheyallranharderthantheyhadeverrunintheirlives;andtheKing'smen,comingafterthem,begantoruntoo;andtheCaptainranhardestofall.
ThentheDoctortrippedoverhismedicine–bagandfelldowninthemud,andtheCaptainthoughthewouldsurelycatchhimthistime.
AndashesprangforwardtotakeholdoftheDoctor,oneofhisearscaughtfastinatree;andtherestofthearmyhadtostopandhelphim.
"Oh,dear!"saidGub–Gub."TheKing'smenarequiteclosenow—Lookatthem!Iamafraidwearegoingtobetakenbacktoprisonagain."Andhebegantoweep.
"Boys—abridge!Quick!—Makeabridge!We'veonlyaminutetodoit.They'vegottheCaptainloose,andhe'scomingonlikeadeer.Getlively!Abridge!Abridge!"
TheDoctorbegantowonderwhattheyweregoingtomakeabridgeoutof,andhegazedaroundtoseeiftheyhadanyboardshiddenanyplace.
Butwhenhelookedbackatthecliff,there,hangingacrosstheriver,wasabridgeallreadyforhim—madeoflivingmonkeys!
Forwhilehisbackwasturned,themonkeys—quickasaflash—hadmadethemselvesintoabridge,justbyholdinghandsandfeet.
Gub–Gubwasabitscared,walkingonsuchanarrowbridgeatthatdizzyheightabovetheriver.Buthegotoverallright;andsodidallofthem.
JohnDolittlewasthelasttocross.Andjustashewasgettingtotheotherside,theKing'smencamerushinguptotheedgeofthecliff.
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