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Fromthattimeonofcoursemypositioninthetownwasverydifferent.Iwasnolongerapoorcobbler'sson.
IcarriedmynoseintheairasIwentdowntheHighStreetwithJipinhisgoldcollaratmyside;andsnobbishlittleboyswhohaddespisedmebeforebecauseIwasnotrichenoughtogotoschoolnowpointedmeouttotheirfriendsandwhispered,"Youseehim?
He'sadoctor'sassistant—andonlytenyearsold!"
ButtheireyeswouldhaveopenedstillwiderwithwonderiftheyhadbutknownthatIandthedogthatwaswithmecouldtalktooneanother.
TwodaysaftertheDoctorhadbeentoourhousetodinnerhetoldmeverysadlythathewasafraidthathewouldhavetogiveuptryingtolearnthelanguageoftheshellfish—atalleventsforthepresent.
"I'mverydiscouraged,Stubbins,very.I'vetriedthemusselsandtheclams,theoystersandthewhelks,cocklesandscallops;sevendifferentkindsofcrabsandallthelobsterfamily.
IthinkI'llleaveitforthepresentandgoatitagainlateron."
"Whatwillyouturntonow?"Iasked.
"Well,Iratherthoughtofgoingonavoyage,Stubbins.It'squiteatimenowsinceI'vebeenaway.Andthereisagreatdealofworkwaitingformeabroad."
"Whenshallwestart?"Iasked.
"Well,firstIshallhavetowaittillthePurpleBird-of-Paradisegetshere.
ImustseeifshehasanymessageformefromLongArrow.She'slate.Sheshouldhavebeenheretendaysago.Ihopetogoodnessshe'sallright."
"Well,hadn'twebetterbeseeingaboutgettingaboat?"Isaid."Sheissuretobehereinadayorso;andtherewillbelotsofthingstodotogetreadyinthemeantime,won'tthere?"
"Yes,indeed,"saidtheDoctor."SupposewegodownandseeyourfriendJoe,themussel-man.Hewillknowaboutboats."
"I'dliketocometoo,"saidJip.
"Allright,comealong,"saidtheDoctor,andoffwewent.
Joesaidyes,hehadaboat—onehehadjustbought—butitneededthreepeopletosailher.Wetoldhimwewouldliketoseeitanyway.
Sothemussel-mantookusoffalittlewaydowntheriverandshowedustheneatest,prettiest,littlevesselthateverwasbuilt.ShewascalledTheCurlew.Joesaidhewouldsellhertouscheap.
Butthetroublewasthattheboatneededthreepeople,whilewewereonlytwo.
"OfcourseIshallbetakingChee-Chee,"saidtheDoctor.
"Butalthoughheisveryquickandclever,heisnotasstrongasaman.
Wereallyoughttohaveanotherpersontosailaboatasbigasthat."
"Iknowofagoodsailor,Doctor,"saidJoe—"afirst-classseamanwhowouldbegladofthejob."
"No,thankyou,Joe,"saidDoctorDolittle."Idon'twantanyseamen.Icouldn'taffordtohirethem.
Andthentheyhampermeso,seamendo,whenI'matsea.
They'realwayswantingtodothingstheproperway;andIliketodothemmyway—Nowletmesee:whocouldwetakewithus?"
"There'sMatthewMugg,thecat's-meat-man,"Isaid.
"No,hewouldn'tdo.Matthew'saverynicefellow,buthetalkstoomuch—mostlyabouthisrheumatism.Youhavetobefrightfullyparticularwhomyoutakewithyouonlongvoyages."
"HowaboutLuketheHermit?"Iasked.
"That'sagoodidea—splendid—ifhe'llcome.Let'sgoandaskhimrightaway."
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