Kitabı oku: «The Story of Doctor Dolittle / История Доктора Дулиттла. Уровень 1», sayfa 8

“I would love to go to Africa, especially in this bitter weather. But I’m afraid we don’t have enough money to buy the tickets. Get me the money-box, Chee-Chee.”

There was nothing in it—not one single penny!

“I was sure there was two pence left,” said the Doctor.

“There was” said the owl. “But you spent it on a toy for that badger’s babywhen he was teething¹⁰.”

“Did I?” said the Doctor. “Dear me, dear me! What a nuisance money is, to be sure! Well, never mind. I’ll try to go down to the seaside and borrow a boat that will take us to Africa. I knew a seaman once who brought his sick baby to me. Maybe he’ll lend us his boat—the baby got well.”

So early the next morning the Doctor went down to the sea-shore. And when he came back he told the animals that the sailor was going to lend them the boat.

Then the crocodile and the monkey and the parrot were very glad and began to sing, because they were going back to Africa, their real home. And the Doctor said,

“I can only take you three—with Jip the dog, Dab-Dab the duck, Gub-Gub the pig and the owl, Too-Too. The rest of the animals will have to go back and live in the fields where they were born till we come home again. But as most of them sleep through the Winter, they won’t mind that. And besides, it wouldn’t be good for them to go to Africa.”

So then the parrot, who had the experience of long journeys, began telling the Doctor all the things he would have to take with him on the ship.

“You must have plenty of crackers,” she said, “and you must have beef in cans—and an anchor.”

“I expect the ship will have its own anchor,” said the Doctor.

“Well, make sure,” said Polynesia. “Because it’s very important. You can’t stop if you haven’t got an anchor. And you’ll need a bell.”

“What’s that for?” asked the Doctor.

“To tell the time by,” said the parrot. “You go and ring it every half-hour and then you know what time it is. And bring a whole lot of rope—it alwayscomes in handy¹¹ on journeys.”

Then they began to wonder where they were going to get the money from to buy all the things they needed.

“Oh, bother it!¹² Money again,” cried the Doctor. “Goodness! I will be glad to get to Africa where we don’t have to have any! I’ll send the sailor to ask the grocer if he will wait for his money till I get back.”

So the sailor went to see the grocer. Soon he came back with all the things they wanted.

Then the animals packed up. They turned off the water so the pipes wouldn’t freeze, put up the shutters and closed the house. They gave the house key to the old horse who lived in the stable. There was plenty of hay in the loft to last the horse through the Winter so they didn’t have to worry about her. Then they carried their entire luggage down to the seashore and got onto the boat.