voyages of dr[1]. doolittle(都利特尔的航行)-第36节
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saw the strange mountain pictured in the letter。 In shape it was the perfect
image of a hawk's head； and was； as far as we could see； the second
highest summit in the island。
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Although we were all out of breath from our climb； the Doctor didn't
let us rest a second as soon as he had sighted it。 With one look at the sun
for direction； down he dashed again； breaking through thickets； splashing
over brooks； taking all the short cuts。 For a fat man； he was certainly the
swiftest cross…country runner I ever saw。
We floundered after him as fast as we could。 When I say WE； I mean
Bumpo and myself； for the animals； Jip； Chee…Chee and Polynesia； were a
long way aheadeven beyond the Doctorenjoying the hunt like a paper…
chase。
At length we arrived at the foot of the mountain we were making for；
and we found its sides very steep。 Said the Doctor；
〃Now we will separate and search for caves。 This spot where we now
are； will be our meeting…place。 If anyone finds anything like a cave or a
hole where the earth and rocks have fallen in； he must shout and hulloa to
the rest of us。 If we find nothing we will all gather here in about an hour's
timeEverybody understand？〃
Then we all went off our different ways。
Each of us； you may be sure； was anxious to be the one to make a
discovery。 And never was a mountain searched so thoroughly。 But alas！
nothing could we find that looked in the least like a fallen…in cave。 There
were plenty of places where rocks had tumbled down to the foot of the
slopes； but none of these appeared as though caves or passages could
possibly lie behind them。
One by one； tired and disappointed； we straggled back to the meeting…
place。 The Doctor seemed gloomy and impatient but by no means inclined
to give up。
〃Jip；〃 he said； 〃couldn't you SMELL anything like an Indian
anywhere？〃
〃No；〃 said Jip。 〃I sniffed at every crack on the mountainside。 But I am
afraid my nose will be of no use to you here； Doctor。 The trouble is； the
whole air is so saturated with the smell of spider…monkeys that it drowns
every other scentAnd besides； it's too cold and dry for good smelling。〃
〃It is certainly that；〃 said the Doctor〃and getting colder all the time。
I'm afraid the island is still drifting to the southward。 Let's hope it stops
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before long； or we won't be able to get even nuts and fruit to eat
everything in the island will perishChee…Chee； what luck did you have？〃
〃None； Doctor。 I climbed to every peak and pinnacle I could see。 I
searched every hollow and cleft。 But not one place could I find where men
might be hidden。〃
〃And Polynesia；〃 asked the Doctor； 〃did you see nothing that might
put us on the right track？〃
〃Not a thing； DoctorBut I have a plan。〃
〃Oh good！〃 cried John Dolittle； full of hope renewed。 〃What is it？
Let's hear it。〃
〃You still have that beetle with you；〃 she asked〃 the Biz…biz； or
whatever it is you call the wretched insect？〃
〃Yes；〃 said the Doctor； producing the glass…topped box from his pocket；
〃here it is。〃
〃All right。 Now listen；〃 said she。 〃If what you have supposed is true
that is； that Long Arrow had been trapped inside the mountain by falling
rock； he probably found that beetle inside the caveperhaps many other
different beetles too； eh？ He wouldn't have been likely to take the Biz…biz
in with him； would he？He was hunting plants； you say； not beetles。 Isn't
that right？〃
〃Yes；〃 said the Doctor； 〃that's probably so。〃
〃Very well。 It is fair to suppose then that the beetle's home； or his hole；
is in that placethe part of the mountain where Long Arrow and his party
are imprisoned； isn't it？〃
〃Quite； quite。〃
〃All right。 Then the thing to do is to let the beetle goand watch him；
and sooner or later he'll return to his home in Long Arrow's cave。 And
there we will follow himOr at all events；〃 she added smoothing down her
wing…feathers with a very superior air； 〃we will follow him till the
miserable bug starts nosing under the earth。 But at least he will show us
what part of the mountain Long Arrow is hidden in。〃
〃But he may fly； if I let him out；〃 said the Doctor。 〃Then we shall just
lose him and be no better off than we were before。〃
〃LET him fly；〃 snorted Polynesia scornfully。 〃A parrot can wing it as
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fast as a Biz…biz； I fancy。 If he takes to the air； I'll guarantee not to let the
little devil out of my sight。 And if he just crawls along the ground you can
follow him yourself。〃
〃Splendid！〃 cried the Doctor。 〃Polynesia； you have a great brain。 I'll
set him to work at once and see what happens。〃
Again we all clustered round the Doctor as he carefully lifted off the
glass lid and let the big beetle climb out upon his finger。
〃Ladybug； Ladybug； fly away home！〃 crooned Bumpo。 〃Your house is
on fire and your chil〃
〃Oh； be quiet！〃 snapped Polynesia crossly。 〃Stop insulting him！ Don't
you suppose he has wits enough to go home without your telling him？〃
〃I thought perchance he might be of a philandering disposition；〃 said
Bumpo humbly。 〃It could be that he is tired of his home and needs to be
encouraged。 Shall I sing him 'Home Sweet Home；' think you？〃
〃No。 Then he'd never go back。 Your voice needs a rest。 Don't sing to
him： just watch himOh； and Doctor； why not tie another message to the
creature's leg； telling Long Arrow that we're doing our best to reach him
and that he mustn't give up hope？〃
〃I will；〃 said the Doctor。 And in a minute he had pulled a dry leaf from
a bush near by and was covering it with little pictures in pencil。
At last； neatly fixed up with his new mail…bag； Mr。 Jabizri crawled off
the Doctor's finger to the ground and looked about him。 He stretched his
legs； polished his nose with his front feet and then。 moved off leisurely to
the westward。
We had expected him to walk UP the mountain； instead； he walked
AROUND it。 Do you know how long it takes a beetle to walk round a
mountain？ Well； I assure you it takes an unbelievably long time。 As the
hours dragged by； we hoped and hoped that he would get up and fly the
rest； and let Polynesia carry on the work of following him。 But he never
opened his wings once。 I had not realized before how hard it is for a
human being to walk slowly enough to keep up with a beetle。 It was the
most tedious thing I have ever gone through。 And as we dawdled along
behind； watching him like hawks lest we lose him under a leaf or
something； we all got so cross and ill…tempered we were ready to bite one
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another's heads off。 And when he stopped to look at the scenery or polish
his nose some more； I could hear Polynesia behind me letting out the most
dreadful seafaring swear…words you ever heard。
After he had led us the whole way round the mountain he brought us
to the exact spot where we started from and there he came to a dead stop。
〃Well；〃 said Bumpo to Polynesia； 〃what do you think of the beetle's
sense now？ You see he DOESN'T know enough to go home。〃
〃Oh； be still； you Hottentot！〃 snapped Polynesia。 〃Wouldn't YOU want
to stretch your legs for exercise if you'd been shut up in a box all day。
Probably his home is near here； and that's why he's come back。〃
〃But why；〃 I asked； 〃did he go the whole way round the mountain
first？〃
Then the three of us got into a violent argument。 But in the middle of it
all the Doctor suddenly called out；
〃Look； look！〃
We turned and found that he was pointing to the Jabizri； who was now
walking UP the mountain at a much faster and more business…like gait。
〃Well；〃 said Bumpo sitting down wearily； 〃if he is going to walk
OVER the mountain and back； for more exercise； I'll wait for him here。
Chee…Chee
