English
Twodaysafterthatwehadallinreadinessforourdeparture.
OnthisvoyageJipbeggedsohardtobetakenthattheDoctorfinallygaveinandsaidhecouldcome.
PolynesiaandChee-Cheeweretheonlyotheranimalstogowithus.
Dab-Dabwasleftinchargeofthehouseandtheanimalfamilyweweretoleavebehind.
Ofcourse,asisalwaystheway,atthelastmomentwekeptrememberingthingswehadforgotten;andwhenwefinallyclosedthehouseupandwentdownthestepstotheroad,wewereallburdenedwitharmfulsofoddpackages.
Halfwaytotheriver,theDoctorsuddenlyrememberedthathehadleftthestock-potboilingonthekitchen-fire.
However,wesawablackbirdflyingbywhonestedinourgarden,andtheDoctoraskedhertogobackforusandtellDab-Dababoutit.
Downattheriver-wallwefoundagreatcrowdwaitingtoseeusoff.
Standingrightnearthegang-plankweremymotherandfather.
Ihopedthattheywouldnotmakeascene,orburstintotearsoranythinglikethat.
Butasamatteroffacttheybehavedquitewell—forparents.
Mymothersaidsomethingaboutbeingsurenottogetmyfeetwet;andmyfatherjustsmiledacrookedsortofsmile,pattedmeonthebackandwishedmeluck.
Good-byesareawfullyuncomfortablethingsandIwasgladwhenitwasoverandwepassedontotheship.
WewerealittlesurprisednottoseeMatthewMuggamongthecrowd.
Wehadfeltsurethathewouldbethere;andtheDoctorhadintendedtogivehimsomeextrainstructionsaboutthefoodfortheanimalswehadleftatthehouse.
Atlast,aftermuchpullingandtugging,wegottheanchorupandundidalotofmooring-ropes.
ThentheCurlewbegantomovegentlydowntheriverwiththeout-runningtide,whilethepeopleonthewallcheeredandwavedtheirhandkerchiefs.
Webumpedintooneortwootherboatsgettingoutintothestream;andatonesharpbendintheriverwegotstuckonamudbankforafewminutes.
Butthoughthepeopleontheshoreseemedtogetveryexcitedatthesethings,theDoctordidnotappeartobedisturbedbythemintheleast.
"Theselittleaccidentswillhappeninthemostcarefullyregulatedvoyages,"hesaidasheleanedoverthesideandfishedforhisbootswhichhadgotstuckinthemudwhilewewerepushingoff.
"Sailingismucheasierwhenyougetoutintotheopensea.
Therearen'tsomanysillythingstobumpinto."
Formeindeeditwasagreatandwonderfulfeeling,thatgettingoutintotheopensea,whenatlengthwepassedthelittlelighthouseatthemouthoftheriverandfoundourselvesfreeoftheland.
Itwasallsonewanddifferent:justtheskyaboveyouandseabelow.
Thisship,whichwastobeourhouseandourstreet,ourhomeandourgarden,forsomanydaystocome,seemedsotinyinallthiswidewater—sotinyandyetsosnug,sufficient,safe.
Ilookedaroundmeandtookinadeepbreath.
TheDoctorwasatthewheelsteeringtheboatwhichwasnowleapingandplunginggentlythroughthewaves.
(IhadexpectedtofeelseasickatfirstbutwasdelightedtofindthatIdidn't.)
Bumpohadbeentoldofftogodownstairsandpreparedinnerforus.
Chee-Cheewascoilingupropesinthesternandlayingtheminneatpiles.
Myworkwasfasteningdownthethingsonthedecksothatnothingcouldrollaboutiftheweathershouldgrowroughwhenwegotfurtherfromtheland.
Jipwasupinthepeakoftheboatwithearscockedandnosestuckout—likeastatue,sostill—hiskeenoldeyeskeepingasharplook-outforfloatingwrecks,sand-bars,andotherdangers.
Eachoneofushadsomespecialjobtodo,partoftheproperrunningofaship.
EvenoldPolynesiawastakingthesea'stemperaturewiththeDoctor'sbath-ther-mometertiedontheendofastring,tomakesuretherewerenoicebergsnearus.
AsIlistenedtoherswearingsoftlytoherselfbecauseshecouldn'treadthepeskyfiguresinthefadinglight,Irealizedthatthevoyagehadbeguninearnestandthatverysoonitwouldbenight—myfirstnightatsea!
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