English
Justbeforesupper-timeBumpoappearedfromdownstairsandwenttotheDoctoratthewheel.
"Astowawayinthehold,Sir,"saidheinaverybusiness-likeseafaringvoice."Ijustdiscoveredhim,behindtheflour-bags."
"Dearme!"saidtheDoctor."Whatanuisance!Stubbins,godownwithBumpoandbringthemanup.Ican'tleavethewheeljustnow."
SoBumpoandIwentdownintothehold;andthere,behindtheflour-bags,plasteredinflourfromheadtofoot,wefoundaman.
Afterwehadsweptmostoftheflouroffhimwithabroom,wediscoveredthatitwasMatthewMugg.
WehauledhimupstairssneezingandtookhimbeforetheDoctor.
"WhyMatthew!"saidJohnDolittle."Whatonearthareyoudoinghere?"
"Thetemptationwastoomuchforme,Doctor,"saidthecat's-meat-man.
"YouknowI'veoftenaskedyoutotakemeonvoyageswithyouandyouneverwould.
Well,thistime,knowingthatyouneededanextraman,IthoughtifIstayedhidtilltheshipwaswellatseayouwouldfindIcameinhandylikeandkeepme.
ButIhadtoliesodoubledup,forhours,behindthemflour-bags,thatmyrheumatismcameonsomethingawful.
Ijusthadtochangemyposition;andofcoursejustasIstretchedoutmylegsalongcomesthishereAfricancookofyoursandseesmyfeetstickingout—Don'tthisshiprollsomethingawful!Howlonghasthisstormbeengoingon?
Ireckonthisdampseaairwouldn'tbeverygoodformyrheumatics."
"No,Matthewitreallyisn't.Yououghtnottohavecome.
Youarenotinanywaysuitedtothiskindofalife.
I'msureyouwouldn'tenjoyalongvoyageabit.
We'llstopinatPenzanceandputyouashore.
Bumpo,pleasegodownstairstomybunk;andlisten:inthepocketofmydressing-gownyou'llfindsomemaps.
Bringmethesmallone—withbluepencil-marksatthetop.
IknowPenzanceisoverhereonourleftsomewhere.
ButImustfindoutwhatlight-housestherearebeforeIchangetheship'scourseandsailinshore."
"Verygood,Sir,"saidBumpo,turningroundsmartlyandmakingforthestairway.
"NowMatthew,"saidtheDoctor,"youcantakethecoachfromPenzancetoBristol.
AndfromthereitisnotveryfartoPuddleby,asyouknow.
Don'tforgettotaketheusualprovisionstothehouseeveryThursday,andbeparticularlycarefultoremembertheextrasupplyofherringsforthebabyminks."
WhilewewerewaitingforthemapsChee-CheeandIsetaboutlightingthelamps:agreenoneontherightsideoftheship,aredoneontheleftandawhiteoneonthemast.
AtlastweheardsomeonetrundlingonthestairsagainandtheDoctorsaid,
"Ah,here'sBumpowiththemapsatlast!"
ButtoourgreatastonishmentitwasnotBumpoalonethatappearedbutTHREEpeople.
"GoodLorddeliverus!Whoarethese?"criedJohnDolittle.
"Twomorestowaways,Sir,"saidBumposteppingforwardbriskly."Ifoundtheminyourcabinhidingunderthebunk.Onewomanandoneman,Sir.Herearethemaps."
"Thisistoomuch,"saidtheDoctorfeebly."Whoarethey?Ican'tseetheirfacesinthisdimlight.Strikeamatch,Bumpo."
Youcouldneverguesswhoitwas.ItwasLukeandhiswife.Mrs.Lukeappearedtobeverymiserableandseasick.
TheyexplainedtotheDoctorthataftertheyhadsettleddowntolivetogetherinthelittleshackoutonthefens,somanypeoplecametovisitthem(havingheardaboutthegreattrial)thatlifebecameimpossible;andtheyhaddecidedtoescapefromPuddlebyinthismanner—fortheyhadnomoneytoleaveanyotherway—andtrytofindsomenewplacetolivewheretheyandtheirstorywouldn'tbesowellknown.
ButassoonastheshiphadbeguntorollMrs.Lukehadgotmostdreadfullyunwell.
PoorLukeapologizedmanytimesforbeingsuchanuisanceandsaidthatthewholethinghadbeenhiswife'sidea.
TheDoctor,afterhehadsentbelowforhismedicine-bagandhadgivenMrs.Lukesomesalvolatileandsmelling-salts,saidhethoughtthebestthingtodowouldbeforhimtolendthemsomemoneyandputthemashoreatPenzancewithMatthew.
HealsowrotealetterforLuketotakewithhimtoafriendtheDoctorhadinthetownofPenzancewho,itwashoped,wouldbeabletofindLukeworktodothere.
AstheDoctoropenedhispurseandtookoutsomegoldcoinsIheardPolynesia,whowassittingonmyshoulderwatchingthewholeaffair,mutterbeneathherbreath,
"Therehegoes—lendinghislastblessedpenny—threepoundsten—allthemoneywehadforthewholetrip!
Nowwehaven'tthepriceofapostage-stampaboardifweshouldloseananchororhavetobuyapintoftar—Well,let's,praywedon'trunoutoffood—Whydoesn'thegivethemtheshipandwalkhome?"
Presentlywiththehelpofthemapthecourseoftheboatwaschangedand,toMrs.Luke'sgreatrelief,wemadeforPenzanceanddryland.
Iwastremendouslyinterestedtoseehowashipcouldbesteeredintoaportatnightwithnothingbutlight-housesandacompasstoguideyou.
ItseemedtomethattheDoctormissedalltherocksandsand-barsverycleverly.
WegotintothatfunnylittleCornishharborabouteleveno'clockthatnight.
TheDoctortookhisstowawaysonshoreinoursmallrow-boatwhichwekeptonthedeckoftheCurlewandfoundthemroomsatthehotelthere.
WhenhegotbackhetoldusthatMrs.Lukehadgonestraighttobedandwasfeelingmuchbetter.
Itwasnowaftermidnight;sowedecidedtostayintheharborandwaittillmorningbeforesettingoutagain.
Iwasgladtogettobed,althoughIfeltthatstayingupsotremendouslylatewasgreatfun.
AsIclimbedintothebunkovertheDoctor'sandpulledtheblanketssnuglyroundme,IfoundIcouldlookoutoftheport-holeatmyelbow,and,withoutraisingmyheadfromthepillow,couldseethelightsofPenzanceswinginggentlyupanddownwiththemotionoftheshipatanchor.
Itwaslikebeingrockedtosleepwithalittleshowgoingontoamuseyou.
IwasjustdecidingthatIlikedthelifeoftheseaverymuchwhenIfellfastasleep.
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