The Story of Doctor Dolittle | Page 9

do things like a man. But
they soon got used to it; and they used to think it great fun to watch Jip,
the dog, sweeping his tail over the floor with a rag tied onto it for a
broom. After a little they got to do the work so well that the Doctor said
that he had never had his house kept so tidy or so clean before.
In this way things went along all right for a while; but without money
they found it very hard.
Then the animals made a vegetable and flower stall outside the
garden-gate and sold radishes and roses to the people that passed by
along the road.
But still they didn't seem to make enough money to pay all the
bills--and still the Doctor wouldn't worry. When the parrot came to him
and told him that the fishmonger wouldn't give them any more fish, he
said,
"Never mind. So long as the hens lay eggs and the cow gives milk we
can have omelettes and junket. And there are plenty of vegetables left
in the garden. The Winter is still a long way off. Don't fuss. That was
the trouble with Sarah--she would fuss. I wonder how Sarah's getting
on--an excellent woman--in some ways--Well, well!"

But the snow came earlier than usual that year; and although the old
lame horse hauled in plenty of wood from the forest outside the town,
so they could have a big fire in the kitchen, most of the vegetables in
the garden were gone, and the rest were covered with snow; and many
of the animals were really hungry.

THE FOURTH CHAPTER
A MESSAGE FROM AFRICA
THAT Winter was a very cold one. And one night in December, when
they were all sitting round the warm fire in the kitchen, and the Doctor
was reading aloud to them out of books he had written himself in
animal-language, the owl, Too-Too, suddenly said, "Sh! What's that
noise outside?"
They all listened; and presently they heard the sound of some one
running. Then the door flew open and the monkey, Chee-Chee, ran in,
badly out of breath.
"Doctor!" he cried, "I've just had a message from a cousin of mine in
Africa. There is a terrible sickness among the monkeys out there. They
are all catching it--and they are dying in hundreds. They have heard of
you, and beg you to come to Africa to stop the sickness."
"Who brought the message?" asked the Doctor, taking off his
spectacles and laying down his book.
"A swallow," said Chee-Chee. "She is outside on the rain-butt."
"Bring her in by the fire," said the Doctor. "She must be perished with
the cold. The swallows flew South six weeks ago!"
So the swallow was brought in, all huddled and shivering; and although
she was a little afraid at first, she soon got warmed up and sat on the
edge of the mantelpiece and began to talk.

When she had finished the Doctor said,
"I would gladly go to Africa--especially in this bitter weather. But I'm
afraid we haven't money enough to buy the tickets. Get me the
money-box, Chee-Chee."
So the monkey climbed up and got it off the top shelf of the dresser.
There was nothing in it--not one single penny!
"I felt sure there was twopence left," said the Doctor.
"There WAS," said the owl. "But you spent it on a rattle for that
badger's baby when he was teething."
"Did I?" said the Doctor--"dear me, dear me! What a nuisance money is,
to be sure! Well, never mind. Perhaps if I go down to the seaside I shall
be able to borrow a boat that will take us to Africa. I knew a seaman
once who brought his baby to me with measles. Maybe he'll lend us his
boat--the baby got well."
So early the next morning the Doctor went down to the seashore. And
when he came back he told the animals it was all right--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 shall only be able to 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,
like the dormice and the water-voles and the bats, they 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 been on long sea- voyages before, began
telling the