voyages of dr[1]. doolittle(都利特尔的航行)-第28节
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might as well lay in a good supply of money while we've got the chance
you never know when you may need it when you're traveling with the
Doctor。 Never mind the rosesyou can leave thembut don't leave any
rings。 And when you've finished go and get your three…thousand pesetas
out of Don Ricky…ticky。 Tommy and I will meet you outside and we'll
pawn the gew…gaws at that Jew's shop opposite the bed…maker's。 Run
along and not a word to the Doctor； remember。〃
Outside the bull…ring we found the crowd still in a great state of
excitement。 Violent arguments were going on everywhere。 Bumpo joined
us with his pockets bulging in all directions； and we made our way slowly
through the dense crowd to that side of the building where the matadors'
dressing…room was。 The Doctor was waiting at the door for us。
〃Good work； Doctor！〃 said Polynesia； flying on to his shoulder
〃Great work！But listen： I smell danger。 I think you had better get back to
the ship now as quick and as quietly as you can。 Put your overcoat on over
that giddy suit。 I don't like the looks of this crowd。 More than half of them
are furious because you've won。 Don Ricky…ticky must now stop the
bullfightingand you know how they love it。 What I'm afraid of is that
some of these matadors who are just mad with jealousy may start some
dirty work。 I think this would be a good time for us to get away。〃
〃I dare say you're right； Polynesia；〃 said the Doctor〃You usually are。
The crowd does seem to be a bit restless。 I'll slip down to the ship alone
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so I shan't be so noticeable； and I'll wait for you there。 You come by some
different way。 But don't be long about it。 Hurry！〃
As soon as the Doctor had departed Bumpo sought out Don Enrique
and said；
〃Honorable Sir； you owe me three…thousand pesetas。〃
Without a word； but looking cross…eyed with annoyance； Don Enrique
paid his bet。
We next set out to buy the provisions； and on the way we hired a cab
and took it along with us。
Not very far away we found a big grocer's shop which seemed to sell
everything to eat。 We went in and bought up the finest lot of food you ever
saw in your life。
As a matter of fact； Polynesia had been right about the danger we were
in。 The news of our victory must have spread like lightning through the
whole town。 For as we came out of the shop and loaded the cab up with
our stores； we saw various little knots of angry men hunting round the
streets； waving sticks and shouting；
〃The Englishmen！ Where are those accursed Englishmen who stopped
the bullfighting？Hang them to a lamp…post！Throw them in the sea！ The
Englishmen！We want the Englishmen！〃
After that we didn't waste any time； you may be sure。 Bumpo grabbed
the Spanish cab…driver and explained to him in signs that if he didn't drive
down to the harbor as fast as he knew how and keep his mouth shut the
whole way； he would choke the life out of him。 Then we jumped into the
cab on top of the food； slammed the door； pulled down the blinds and
away we went。
〃We won't get a chance to pawn the jewelry now；〃 said Polynesia； as
we bumped over the cobbly streets。 〃But never mindit may come in
handy later on。 And anyway we've got two…thousand five…hundred pesetas
left out of the bet。 Don't give the cabby more than two pesetas fifty；
Bumpo。 That's the right fare； I know。〃
Well； we reached the harbor all right and we were mighty glad to find
that the Doctor had sent Chee…Chee back with the row…boat to wait for us
at the landing…wall。
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Unfortunately while we were in the middle of loading the supplies
from the cab into the boat； the angry mob arrived upon the wharf and
made a rush for us。 Bumpo snatched up a big beam of wood that lay near
and swung it round and round his head； letting out dreadful African battle…
yells the while。 This kept the crowd off while Chee…Chee and I hustled the
last of the stores into the boat and clambered in ourselves。 Bumpo threw
his beam of wood into the thick of the Spaniards and leapt in after us。
Then we pushed off and rowed like mad for the Curlew。
The mob upon the wall howled with rage； shook their fists and hurled
stones and all manner of things after us。 Poor old Bumpo got hit on the
head with a bottle。 But as he had a very strong head it only raised a small
bump while the bottle smashed into a thousand pieces。
When we reached the ship's side the Doctor had the anchor drawn up
and the sails set and everything in readiness to get away。 Looking back we
saw boats coming out from the harbor…wall after us； filled with angry；
shouting men。 So we didn't bother to unload our rowboat but just tied it on
to the ship's stern with a rope and jumped aboard。
It only took a moment more to swing the Curlew round into the wind；
and soon we were speeding out of the harbor on our way to Brazil。
〃Ha！〃 sighed Polynesia； as we all flopped down on the deck to take a
rest and get our breath。 〃That wasn't a bad adventurequite reminds me of
my old seafaring days when I sailed with the smugglersGolly； that was
the life！ Never mind your head； Bumpo。 It will be all right when the
Doctor puts a little arnica on it。 Think what we got out of the scrap： a boat…
load of ship's stores； pockets full of jewelry and thousands of pesetas。 Not
bad； you knownot bad。〃
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PART FOUR
THE FIRST CHAPTER
SHELLFISH LANGUAGES AGAIN
MIRANDA； the Purple Bird…of…Paradise had prophesied rightly when
she had foretold a good spell of weather。 For three weeks the good ship
Curlew plowed her way through smiling seas before a steady powerful
wind。
I suppose most real sailors would have found this part of the voyage
dull。 But not I。 As we got further South and further West the face of the
sea seemed different every day。 And all the little things of a voyage which
an old hand would have hardly bothered to notice were matters of great
interest for my eager eyes。
We did not pass many ships。 When we did see one； the Doctor would
get out his telescope and we would all take a look at it。 Sometimes he
would signal to it； asking for news； by hauling up little colored flags upon
the mast； and the ship would signal back to us in the same way。 The
meaning of all the signals was printed in a book which the Doctor kept in
the cabin。 He told me it was the language of the sea and that all ships
could understand it whether they be English； Dutch； or French。
Our greatest happening during those first weeks was passing an
iceberg。 When the sun shone on it it burst into a hundred colors； sparkling
like a jeweled palace in a fairy…story。 Through the telescope we saw a
mother polar bear with a cub sitting on it； watching us。 The Doctor
recognized her as one of the bears who had spoken to him when he was
discovering the North Pole。 So he sailed the ship up close and offered to
take her and her baby on to the Curlew if she wished it。 But she only
shook her head； thanking him； she said it would be far too hot for the cub
on the deck of our ship； with no ice to keep his feet cool。 It had been
indeed a very hot day； but the nearness of that great mountain of ice made
us all turn up our coat…collars and shiver with the cold。
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During those quiet peaceful days I improved my reading and writing a
great deal with the Doctor's help。 I got on so well that he let me keep the
ship's log。 This is a big book kept on every ship； a kind of diary； in which
the number of miles run； the direction of your course and everything else
that happens is written down。
The Doctor too； in what spare t
