English
Everythingwouldhavegoneallrightifthepighadnotcaughtacoldinhisheadwhileeatingthedampsugar–caneontheisland.Thisiswhathappened:
Aftertheyhadpulleduptheanchorwithoutasound,andweremovingtheshipvery,verycarefullyoutofthebay,Gub–Gubsuddenlysneezedsoloudthatthepiratesontheothershipcamerushingupstairstoseewhatthenoisewas.
AssoonastheysawthattheDoctorwasescaping,theysailedtheotherboatrightacrosstheentrancetothebaysothattheDoctorcouldnotgetoutintotheopensea.
Thentheleaderofthesebadmen(whocalledhimself"BenAli,TheDragon")shookhisfistattheDoctorandshoutedacrossthewater,
"Ha!Ha!Youarecaught,myfinefriend!
Youweregoingtorunoffinmyship,eh?
ButyouarenotagoodenoughsailortobeatBenAli,theBarbaryDragon.
Iwantthatduckyou'vegot—andthepigtoo.
We'llhavepork–chopsandroastduckforsupperto–night.
AndbeforeIletyougohome,youmustmakeyourfriendssendmeatrunk–fullofgold."
PoorGub–Gubbegantoweep;andDab–Dabmadereadytoflytosaveherlife.Buttheowl,Too–Too,whisperedtotheDoctor,
"Keephimtalking,Doctor.Bepleasanttohim.
Ouroldshipisboundtosinksoon—theratssaiditwouldbeatthebottomoftheseabeforeto–morrownight—andtheratsareneverwrong.
Bepleasant,tilltheshipsinksunderhim.Keephimtalking."
"What,untilto–morrownight!"saidtheDoctor."Well,I'lldomybest....Letmesee—WhatshallItalkabout?"
"Oh,letthemcomeon,"saidJip."Wecanfightthedirtyrascals.Thereareonlysixofthem.Letthemcomeon.
I'dlovetotellthatcollienextdoor,whenwegethome,thatIhadbittenarealpirate.Let'emcome.Wecanfightthem."
"Buttheyhavepistolsandswords,"saidtheDoctor."No,thatwouldneverdo.Imusttalktohim....Lookhere,BenAli—"
ButbeforetheDoctorcouldsayanymore,thepiratesbegantosailtheshipnearer,laughingwithglee,andsayingonetoanother,"Whoshallbethefirsttocatchthepig?"
PoorGub–Gubwasdreadfullyfrightened;andthepushmi–pullyubegantosharpenhishornsforafightbyrubbingthemonthemastoftheship;whileJipkeptspringingintotheairandbarkingandcallingBenAlibadnamesindog–language.
Butpresentlysomethingseemedtogowrongwiththepirates;theystoppedlaughingandcrackingjokes;theylookedpuzzled;somethingwasmakingthemuneasy.
ThenBenAli,staringdownathisfeet,suddenlybellowedout,
"ThunderandLightning!—Men,THEBOAT'SLEAKING!"
Andthentheotherpiratespeeredoverthesideandtheysawthattheboatwasindeedgettinglowerandlowerinthewater.AndoneofthemsaidtoBenAli,
"Butsurelyifthisoldboatweresinkingweshouldseetheratsleavingit."
AndJipshoutedacrossfromtheothership,
"Yougreatduffers,therearenoratstheretoleave!Theylefttwohoursago!'Ha,ha,'toyou,'myfinefriends!'"
Butofcoursethemendidnotunderstandhim.
Soonthefrontendoftheshipbegantogodownanddown,fasterandfaster—tilltheboatlookedalmostasthoughitwerestandingonitshead;andthepirateshadtoclingtotherailsandthemastsandtheropesandanythingtokeepfromslidingoff.
Thenthesearushedroaringinandthroughallthewindowsandthedoors.
Andatlasttheshipplungedrightdowntothebottomofthesea,makingadreadfulgurglingsound;andthesixbadmenwereleftbobbingaboutinthedeepwaterofthebay.
Someofthemstartedtoswimfortheshoresoftheisland;whileotherscameandtriedtogetontotheboatwheretheDoctorwas.
ButJipkeptsnappingattheirnoses,sotheywereafraidtoclimbupthesideoftheship.
Thensuddenlytheyallcriedoutingreatfear,
"THESHARKS!Thesharksarecoming!Letusgetontotheshipbeforetheyeatus!Help,help!—Thesharks!Thesharks!"
AndnowtheDoctorcouldsee,alloverthebay,thebacksofbigfishesswimmingswiftlythroughthewater.
Andonegreatsharkcameneartotheship,andpokinghisnoseoutofthewaterhesaidtotheDoctor,
"AreyouJohnDolittle,thefamousanimal–doctor?"
"Yes,"saidDoctorDolittle."Thatismyname."
"Well,"saidtheshark,"weknowthesepiratestobeabadlot—especiallyBenAli.Iftheyareannoyingyou,wewillgladlyeatthemupforyou—andthenyouwon'tbetroubledanymore."
"Thankyou,"saidtheDoctor."Thisisreallymostattentive.
ButIdon'tthinkitwillbenecessarytoeatthem.
Don'tletanyofthemreachtheshoreuntilItellyou—justkeepthemswimmingabout,willyou?
AndpleasemakeBenAliswimoverherethatImaytalktohim."
SothesharkwentoffandchasedBenAliovertotheDoctor.
"Listen,BenAli,"saidJohnDolittle,leaningovertheside.
"Youhavebeenaverybadman;andIunderstandthatyouhavekilledmanypeople.
Thesegoodsharksherehavejustofferedtoeatyouupforme—and'twouldindeedbeagoodthingiftheseaswereridofyou.
ButifyouwillpromisetodoasItellyou,Iwellletyougoinsafety."
"WhatmustIdo?"askedthepirate,lookingdownsidewaysatthebigsharkwhowassmellinghislegunderthewater.
"Youmustkillnomorepeople,"saidtheDoctor;"youmuststopstealing;youmustneversinkanothership;youmustgiveupbeingapiratealtogether."
"ButwhatshallIdothen?"askedBenAli."HowshallIlive?"
"Youandallyourmenmustgoontothisislandandbebird–seed–farmers,"theDoctoranswered."Youmustgrowbird–seedforthecanaries."
TheBarbaryDragonturnedpalewithanger."GROWBIRD–SEED!"hegroanedindisgust."Can'tIbeasailor?"
"No,"saidtheDoctor,"youcannot.Youhavebeenasailorlongenough—andsentmanystoutshipsandgoodmentothebottomofthesea.
Fortherestofyourlifeyoumustbelapeacefulfarmer.Thesharkiswaiting.Donotwasteanymoreofhistime.Makeupyourmind."
"ThunderandLightning!"BenAlimuttered—"BIRD–SEED!"Thenhelookeddownintothewateragainandsawthegreatfishsmellinghisotherleg.
"Verywell,"hesaidsadly."We'llbefarmers."
"Andremember,"saidtheDoctor,"thatifyoudonotkeepyourpromise—ifyoustartkillingandstealingagain,Ishallhearofit,becausethecanarieswillcomeandtellme.
AndbeverysurethatIwillfindawaytopunishyou.
ForthoughImaynotbeabletosailashipaswellasyou,solongasthebirdsandthebeastsandthefishesaremyfriends,Idonothavetobeafraidofapiratechief—eventhoughhecallhimself'TheDragonofBarbary.'
Nowgoandbeagoodfarmerandliveinpeace."
ThentheDoctorturnedtothebigshark,andwavinghishandhesaid,
"Allright.Letthemswimsafelytotheland."
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