ThenextdayIwassittingonthewalloftheDoctor'sgardenaftertea,talkingtoDab-Dab. IhadnowlearnedsomuchfromPolynesiathatIcouldtalktomostbirdsandsomeanimalswithoutagreatdealofdifficulty. IfoundDab-Dabaverynice,old,motherlybird—thoughnotnearlysocleverandinterestingasPolynesia. ShehadbeenhousekeeperfortheDoctormanyyearsnow. Well,asIwassaying,theoldduckandIweresittingontheflattopofthegarden-wallthatevening,lookingdownintotheOxenthorpeRoadbelow. WewerewatchingsomesheepbeingdriventomarketinPuddleby;andDab-DabhadjustbeentellingmeabouttheDoctor'sadventuresinAfrica. Forshehadgoneonavoyagewithhimtothatcountrylongago. SuddenlyIheardacuriousdistantnoisedowntheroad,towardsthetown. Itsoundedlikealotofpeoplecheering. IstooduponthewalltoseeifIcouldmakeoutwhatwascoming. Presentlythereappearedroundabendagreatcrowdofschool-childrenfollowingaveryragged,curious-lookingwoman. "Whatintheworldcanitbe?"criedDab-Dab. Thechildrenwerealllaughingandshouting. Andcertainlythewomantheywerefollowingwasmostextraordinary. ShehadverylongarmsandthemoststoopingshouldersIhaveeverseen. Sheworeastrawhatonthesideofherheadwithpoppiesonit;andherskirtwassolongforheritdraggedonthegroundlikeaball-gown'strain. Icouldnotseeanythingofherfacebecauseofthewidehatpulledoverhereyes. Butasshegotnearertousandthelaughingofthechildrengrewlouder,Inoticedthatherhandswereverydarkincolor,andhairy,likeawitch's. ThenallofasuddenDab-Dabatmysidestartledmebycryingoutinaloudvoice, "Why,it'sChee-Chee!—Chee-Cheecomebackatlast!Howdarethosechildrenteasehim!I'llgivethelittleimpssomethingtolaughat!" Andsheflewrightoffthewalldownintotheroadandmadestraightforthechildren,squawkingawayinamostterrifyingfashionandpeckingattheirfeetandlegs. Thechildrenmadeoffdownthestreetbacktothetownashardastheycouldrun. Thestrange-lookingfigureinthestrawhatstoodgazingafterthemamomentandthencamewearilyuptothegate. Itdidn'tbothertoundothelatchbutjustclimbedrightoverthegateasthoughitweresomethingintheway. AndthenInoticedthatittookholdofthebarswithitsfeet,sothatitreallyhadfourhandstoclimbwith. ButitwasonlywhenIatlastgotaglimpseofthefaceunderthehatthatIcouldbereallysureitwasamonkey. Chee-Chee—foritwashe—frownedatmesuspiciouslyfromthetopofthegate,asthoughhethoughtIwasgoingtolaughathimliketheotherboysandgirls. Thenhedroppedintothegardenontheinsideandimmediatelystartedtakingoffhisclothes. Hetorethestrawhatintwoandthrewitdownintotheroad. Thenhetookoffhisbodiceandskirt,jumpedonthemsavagelyandbegankickingthemroundthefrontgarden. PresentlyIheardascreechfromthehouse,andoutflewPolynesia,followedbytheDoctorandJip. "Chee-Chee!—Chee-Chee!"shoutedtheparrot."You'vecomeatlast!IalwaystoldtheDoctoryou'dfindaway.Howeverdidyoudoit?" Theyallgatheredroundhimshakinghimbyhisfourhands,laughingandaskinghimamillionquestionsatonce.Thentheyallstartedbackforthehouse. "Runuptomybedroom,Stubbins,"saidtheDoctor,turningtome. "You'llfindabagofpeanutsinthesmallleft-handdrawerofthebureau. Ihavealwayskeptthemthereincasehemightcomebackunexpectedlysomeday. Andwaitaminute—seeifDab-Dabhasanybananasinthepan-try. Chee-Cheehasn'thadabanana,hetellsme,intwomonths." WhenIcamedownagaintothekitchenIfoundeverybodylisteningattentivelytothemonkeywhowastellingthestoryofhisjourneyfromAfrica. 
