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immediately started taking off his clothes。 He tore the straw hat in two and
threw it down into the road。 Then he took off his bodice and skirt； jumped
on them savagely and began kicking them round the front garden。
Presently I heard a screech from the house； and out flew Polynesia；
followed by the Doctor and Jip。
〃Chee…Chee！Chee…Chee！〃 shouted the parrot。 〃You've come at last！ I
always told the Doctor you'd find a way。 How ever did you do it？〃
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They all gathered round him shaking him by his four hands； laughing
and asking him a million questions at once。 Then they all started back for
the house。
〃Run up to my bedroom； Stubbins；〃 said the Doctor； turning to me。
〃You'll find a bag of peanuts in the small left…hand drawer of the bureau。 I
have always kept them there in case he might come back unexpectedly
some day。 And wait a minutesee if Dab…Dab has any bananas in the pan…
try。 Chee…Chee hasn't had a banana； he tells me； in two months。〃
When I came down again to the kitchen I found everybody listening
attentively to the monkey who was telling the story of his journey from
Africa。
THE FOURTEENTH CHAPTER
CHEE…CHEE'S VOYAGE
IT seems that after Polynesia had left； Chee…Chee had grown more
homesick than ever for the Doctor and the little house in Puddleby。 At last
he had made up his mind that by hook or crook he would follow her。 And
one day； going down to the seashore； he saw a lot of people； black and
white； getting on to a ship that was coming to England。 He tried to get on
too。 But they turned him back and drove him away。 And presently he
noticed a whole big family of funny people passing on to the ship。 And
one of the children in this family reminded Chee…Chee of a cousin of his
with whom he had once been in love。 So he said to himself； 〃That girl
looks just as much like a monkey as I look like a girl。 If I could only get
some clothes to wear I might easily slip on to the ship amongst these
families； and people would take me for a girl。 Good idea！〃
So he went off to a town that was quite close； and hopping in through
an open window he found a skirt and bodice lying on a chair。 They
belonged to a fashionable black lady who was taking a bath。 Chee…Chee
put them on。 Next he went back to the seashore； mingled with the crowd
there and at last sneaked safely on to the big ship。 Then he thought he had
better hide； for fear people might look at him too closely。 And he stayed
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THE VOYAGES OF DOCTOR DOOLITTLE
hidden all the time the ship was sailing to Englandonly coming out at
night； when everybody was asleep； to find food。
When he reached England and tried to get off the ship； the sailors saw
at last that he was only a monkey dressed up in girl's clothes； and they
wanted to keep him for a pet。 But he managed to give them the slip； and
once he was on shore； he dived into the crowd and got away。 But he was
still a long distance from Puddleby and had to come right across the whole
breadth of England。
He had a terrible time of it。 Whenever he passed through a town all the
children ran after him in a crowd； laughing； and often silly people caught
hold of him and tried to stop him； so that he had to run up lamp…posts and
climb to chimney…pots to escape from them。 At night he used to sleep in
ditches or barns or anywhere he could hide； and he lived on the berries he
picked from the hedges and the cob…nuts that grew in the copses。 At length；
after many adventures and narrow squeaks； he saw the tower of Puddleby
Church and he knew that at last he was near his old home。 When Chee…
Chee had finished his story he ate six bananas without stopping and drank
a whole bowlful of milk。
〃My！〃 he said； 〃why wasn't I born with wings； like Polynesia； so I
could fly here？ You've no idea how I grew to hate that hat and skirt。 I've
never been so uncomfortable in my life。 All the way from Bristol here； if
the wretched hat wasn't falling off my head or catching in the trees； those
beastly skirts were tripping me up and getting wound round everything。
What on earth do women wear those things for？ Goodness； I was glad to
see old Puddleby this morning when I climbed over the hill by Bellaby's
farm！〃
〃Your bed on top of the plate…rack in the scullery is all ready for you；〃
said the Doctor。 〃We never had it disturbed in case you might come back。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Dab…Dab； 〃and you can have the old smoking…jacket of the
Doctor's which you used to use as a blanket； in case it is cold in the night。〃
〃Thanks；〃 said Chee…Chee。 〃It's good to be back in the old house again。
Everything's just the same as when I leftexcept the clean roller…towel on
the back of the door therethat's newWell； I think I'll go to bed now。 I
need sleep。〃
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Then we all went out of the kitchen into the scullery and watched
Chee…Chee climb the plate…rack like a sailor going up a mast。 On the top；
he curled himself up； pulled the old smoking…jacket over him； and in a
minute he was snoring peacefully。
〃Good old Chee…Chee！〃 whispered the Doctor。 〃I'm glad he's back。〃
〃Yesgood old Chee…Chee！〃 echoed Dab…Dab and Polynesia。
Then we all tip…toed out of the scullery and dosed the door very gently
behind us。
THE FIFTEENTH CHAPTER
I BECOME A DOCTOR'S ASSISTANT
WHEN Thursday evening came there was great excitement at our
house； My mother had asked me what were the Doctor's favorite dishes；
and I had told her： spare ribs； sliced beet…root； fried bread； shrimps and
treacle…tart。 To…night she had them all on the table waiting for him； and she
was now fussing round the house to see if everything was tidy and in
readiness for his coming。
At last we heard a knock upon the door； and of course it was I who got
there first to let him in。
The Doctor had brought his own flute with him this time。 And after
supper was over （which he enjoyed very much） the table was cleared away
and the washing…up left in the kitchen…sink till the ne