English
Gentlythen—verygently,theDoctorwokethemanup.
Butjustatthatmomentthematchwentoutagain.AndthemanthoughtitwasBenAlicomingback,andhebegantopunchtheDoctorinthedark.
ButwhenJohnDolittletoldhimwhoitwas,andthathehadhislittlenephewsafeonhisship,themanwastremendouslyglad,andsaidhewassorryhehadfoughttheDoctor.
Hehadnothurthimmuchthough—becauseitwastoodarktopunchproperly.
ThenhegavetheDoctorapinchofsnuff.
AndthemantoldhowtheBarbaryDragonhadputhimontothisrockandlefthimthere,whenhewouldn'tpromisetobecomeapirate;andhowheusedtosleepdowninthisholebecausetherewasnohouseontherocktokeephimwarm.
Andthenhesaid,
"ForfourdaysIhavehadnothingtoeatordrink.Ihavelivedonsnuff."
"Thereyouare!"saidJip."WhatdidItellyou?"
Sotheystrucksomemorematchesandmadetheirwayoutthroughthepassageintothedaylight;andtheDoctorhurriedthemandowntotheboattogetsomesoup.
WhentheanimalsandthelittleboysawtheDoctorandJipcomingbacktotheshipwithared–headedman,theybegantocheerandyellanddanceabouttheboat.
Andtheswallowsupabovestartedwhistlingatthetopoftheirvoices—thousandsandmillionsofthem—toshowthattheytooweregladthattheboy'sbraveunclehadbeenfound.
Thenoisetheymadewassogreatthatsailorsfaroutatseathoughtthataterriblestormwascoming.
"HarktothatgalehowlingintheEast!"theysaid.
AndJipwasawfullyproudofhimself—thoughhetriedhardnottolookconceited.WhenDab–Dabcametohimandsaid,"Jip,Ihadnoideayouweresoclever!"hejusttossedhisheadandanswered,
"Oh,that'snothingspecial.Butittakesadogtofindaman,youknow.Birdsarenogoodforagamelikethat."
ThentheDoctoraskedthered–hairedfishermanwherehishomewas.Andwhenhehadtoldhim,theDoctoraskedtheswallowstoguidetheshiptherefirst.
Andwhentheyhadcometothelandwhichthemanhadspokenof,theysawalittlefishing–townatthefootofarockymountain;andthemanpointedoutthehousewherehelived.
Andwhiletheywerelettingdowntheanchor,thelittleboy'smother(whowasalsotheman'ssister)camerunningdowntotheshoretomeetthem,laughingandcryingatthesametime.
Shehadbeensittingonahillfortwentydays,watchingtheseaandwaitingforthemtoreturn.
AndshekissedtheDoctormanytimes,sothathegiggledandblushedlikeaschool–girl.AndshetriedtokissJiptoo;butheranawayandhidinsidetheship.
"It'sasillybusiness,thiskissing,"hesaid."Idon'tholdbyit.LethergoandkissGub–Gub—ifsheMUSTkisssomething."
Thefishermanandhissisterdidn'twanttheDoctortogoawayagaininahurry.
Theybeggedhimtospendafewdayswiththem.
SoJohnDolittleandhisanimalshadtostayattheirhouseawholeSaturdayandSundayandhalfofMonday.
Andallthelittleboysofthefishing–villagewentdowntothebeachandpointedatthegreatshipanchoredthere,andsaidtooneanotherinwhispers,
"Look!Thatwasapirate–ship—BenAli's—themostterriblepiratethateversailedtheSevenSeas!
Thatoldgentlemanwiththehighhat,who'sstayingupatMrs.Trevelyan's,HEtooktheshipawayfromTheBarbaryDragon—andmadehimintoafarmer.
Who'dhavethoughtitofhim—himsogentle—likeandall!...Lookatthegreatredsails!
Ain'tshethewicked–lookingship—andfast?—My!"
AllthosetwodaysandahalfthattheDoctorstayedatthelittlefishing–townthepeoplekeptaskinghimouttoteasandluncheonsanddinnersandparties;alltheladiessenthimboxesofflowersandcandies;andthevillage–bandplayedtunesunderhiswindoweverynight.
AtlasttheDoctorsaid,
"Goodpeople,Imustgohomenow.Youhavereallybeenmostkind.Ishallalwaysrememberit.ButImustgohome—forIhavethingstodo."
Then,justastheDoctorwasabouttoleave,theMayorofthetowncamedownthestreetandalotofotherpeopleingrandclotheswithhim.
AndtheMayorstoppedbeforethehousewheretheDoctorwasliving;andeverybodyinthevillagegatheredroundtoseewhatwasgoingtohappen.
Aftersixpage–boyshadblownonshiningtrumpetstomakethepeoplestoptalking,theDoctorcameoutontothestepsandtheMayorspoke.
"DoctorJohnDolittle,"saidhe:"ItisagreatpleasureformetopresenttothemanwhoridtheseasoftheDragonofBarbarythislittletokenfromthegratefulpeopleofourworthyTown."
AndtheMayortookfromhispocketalittletissue–paperpacket,andopeningit,hehandedtotheDoctoraperfectlybeautifulwatchwithrealdiamondsintheback.
ThentheMayorpulledoutofhispocketastilllargerparcelandsaid,
"Whereisthedog?"
TheneverybodystartedtohuntforJip.AndatlastDab–Dabfoundhimontheothersideofthevillageinastable–yard,whereallthedogsofthecountry–sidewerestandingroundhimspeechlesswithadmirationandrespect.
WhenJipwasbroughttotheDoctor'sside,theMayoropenedthelargerparcel;andinsidewasadog–collarmadeofsolidgold!
Andagreatmurmurofwonderwentupfromthevillage–folkastheMayorbentdownandfasteneditroundthedog'sneckwithhisownhands.
Forwrittenonthecollarinbigletterswerethesewords:"JIP–THECLEVERESTDOGINTHEWORLD."
Thenthewholecrowdmoveddowntothebeachtoseethemoff.
Andafterthered–hairedfishermanandhissisterandthelittleboyhadthankedtheDoctorandhisdogoverandoverandoveragain,thegreat,swiftshipwiththeredsailswasturnedoncemoretowardsPuddlebyandtheysailedouttosea,whilethevillage–bandplayedmusicontheshore.
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