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Marchwindshadcomeandgone;April'sshowerswereover;May'sbudshadopenedintoflower;andtheJunesunwasshiningonthepleasantfields,whenJohnDolittleatlastgotbacktohisowncountry.
ButhedidnotyetgohometoPuddleby.Firsthewenttravelingthroughthelandwiththepushmi–pullyuinagipsy–wagon,stoppingatallthecountry–fairs.
Andthere,withtheacrobatsononesideofthemandthePunch–and–Judyshowontheother,theywouldhangoutabigsignwhichread,"COMEANDSEETHEMARVELOUSTWO–HEADEDANIMALFROMTHEJUNGLESOFAFRICA.AdmissionSIXPENCE."
Andthepushmi–pullyuwouldstayinsidethewagon,whiletheotheranimalswouldlieaboutunderneath.
TheDoctorsatinachairinfronttakingthesixpencesandsmilingonthepeopleastheywentin;andDab–Dabwaskeptbusyallthetimescoldinghimbecausehewouldletthechildreninfornothingwhenshewasn'tlooking.
Andmenagerie–keepersandcircus–mencameandaskedtheDoctortosellthemthestrangecreature,sayingtheywouldpayatremendouslotofmoneyforhim.
ButtheDoctoralwaysshookhisheadandsaid.
"No.Thepushmi–pullyushallneverbeshutupinacage.Heshallbefreealwaystocomeandgo,likeyouandme."
Manycurioussightsandhappeningstheysawinthiswanderinglife;buttheyallseemedquiteordinaryafterthegreatthingstheyhadseenanddoneinforeignlands.
Itwasveryinterestingatfirst,beingsortofpartofacircus;butafterafewweekstheyallgotdreadfullytiredofitandtheDoctorandallofthemwerelongingtogohome.
Butsomanypeoplecameflockingtothelittlewagonandpaidthesixpencetogoinsideandseethepushmi–pullyuthatverysoontheDoctorwasabletogiveupbeingashowman.
Andonefineday,whenthehollyhockswereinfullbloom,hecamebacktoPuddlebyarichman,toliveinthelittlehousewiththebiggarden.
Andtheoldlamehorseinthestablewasgladtoseehim;andsoweretheswallowswhohadalreadybuilttheirnestsundertheeavesofhisroofandhadyoungones.
AndDab–Dabwasglad,too,togetbacktothehousesheknewsowell—althoughtherewasaterriblelotofdustingtobedone,withcobwebseverywhere.
AndafterJiphadgoneandshownhisgoldencollartotheconceitedcollienext–door,hecamebackandbeganrunningroundthegardenlikeacrazything,lookingfortheboneshehadburiedlongago,andchasingtheratsoutofthetool–shed;whileGub–Gubdugupthehorseradishwhichhadgrownthreefeethighinthecornerbythegarden–wall.
AndtheDoctorwentandsawthesailorwhohadlenthimtheboat,andheboughttwonewshipsforhimandarubber–dollforhisbaby;andhepaidthegrocerforthefoodhehadlenthimforthejourneytoAfrica.
Andheboughtanotherpianoandputthewhitemicebackinit—becausetheysaidthebureau–drawerwasdrafty.
EvenwhentheDoctorhadfilledtheoldmoney–boxonthedresser–shelf,hestillhadalotofmoneyleft;andhehadtogetthreemoremoney–boxes,justasbig,toputtherestin.
"Money,"hesaid,"isaterriblenuisance.Butit'snicenottohavetoworry."
"Yes,"saidDab–Dab,whowastoastingmuffinsforhistea,"itisindeed!"
AndwhentheWintercameagain,andthesnowflewagainstthekitchen–window,theDoctorandhisanimalswouldsitroundthebig,warmfireaftersupper;andhewouldreadaloudtothemoutofhisbooks.
ButfarawayinAfrica,wherethemonkeyschatteredinthepalm–treesbeforetheywenttobedunderthebigyellowmoon,theywouldsaytooneanother,
"IwonderwhatTheGoodMan'sdoingnow—overthere,intheLandoftheWhiteMen!Doyouthinkheeverwillcomeback?"
AndPolynesiawouldsqueakoutfromthevines,
"Ithinkhewill—Iguesshewill—Ihopehewill!"
Andthenthecrocodilewouldgruntupatthemfromtheblackmudoftheriver,
"I'mSUREhewill—Gotosleep!"
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