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a demonstration of his powers of showing that he actually can
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THE VOYAGES OF DOCTOR DOOLITTLE
understand the speech of animals？〃 I thought I saw a twinkle of
amusement come into the old judge's eyes as he sat considering a moment
before he answered。
〃No；〃 he said at last； 〃I don't think so。〃 Then he turned to the Doctor。
〃Are you quite sure you can do this？〃 he asked。
〃Quite； Your Honor；〃 said the Doctor〃quite sure。〃 〃Very well then；〃
said the judge。 〃If you can satisfy us that you really are able to understand
canine testimony； the dog shall be admitted as a witness。 I do not see； in
that case； how I could object to his being heard。 But I warn you that if you
are trying to make a laughing…stock of this Court it will go hard with you。〃
〃I protest； I protest！〃 yelled the long…nosed Prosecutor。 〃This is a
scandal； an outrage to the Bar！〃
〃Sit down！〃 said the judge in a very stern voice。
〃What animal does Your Honor wish me to talk with？〃 asked the
Doctor。
〃I would like you to talk to my own dog；〃 said the judge。 〃He is
outside in the cloak…room。 I will have him brought in； and then we shall
see what you can do。〃
Then someone went out and fetched the judge's dog； a lovely great
Russian wolf…hound with slender legs and a shaggy coat。 He was a proud
and beautiful creature。
〃Now； Doctor；〃 said the judge； 〃did you ever see this dog before？
Remember you are in the witness…stand and under oath。〃
〃No； Your Honor； I never saw him before。〃
〃Very well then； will you please ask him to tell you what I had for
supper last night？ He was with me and watched me while I ate。〃
Then the Doctor and the dog started talking to one another in signs and
sounds； and they kept at it for quite a long time。 And the Doctor began to
giggle and get so interested that he seemed to forget all about the Court
and the judge and everything else。
〃What a time he takes！〃 I heard a fat woman in front of me whispering。
〃He's only pretending。 Of course he can't do it！ Who ever heard of talking
to a dog？ He must think we're children。〃
〃Haven't you finished yet？〃 the judge asked the Doctor。 〃It shouldn't
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THE VOYAGES OF DOCTOR DOOLITTLE
take that long just to ask what I had for supper。〃 〃Oh no； Your Honor；〃 said
the Doctor。 〃The dog told me that long ago。 But then he went on to tell me
what you did after supper。〃
〃Never mind that；〃 said the judge。 Tell me what answer he gave you to
my question。〃
〃He says you had a mutton…chop； two baked potatoes； a pickled walnut
and a glass of ale。〃
The Honorable Eustace Beauchamp Conckley went white to the lips。
〃Sounds like witchcraft；〃 he muttered。 〃I never dreamed〃
〃And after your supper；〃 the Doctor went on； 〃he says you went to see
a prize…fight and then sat up playing cards for money till twelve o'clock
and came home singing； 'We wont get' 〃
〃That will do；〃 the judge interrupted； 〃I am satisfied you can do as you
say。 The prisoner's dog shall be admitted as a witness。〃
〃I protest； I object！〃 screamed the Prosecutor。 〃Your Honor； this is〃
〃Sit down！〃 roared the judge。 〃I say the dog shall be heard。 That ends
the matter。 Put the witness in the stand。〃
And then for the first time in the solemn history of England a dog was
put in the witness…stand of Her Majesty's Court of Assizes。 And it was I；
Tommy Stubbins （when the Doctor made a sign to me across the room）
who proudly led Bob up the aisle； through the astonished crowd； past the
frowning； spluttering； long…nosed Prosecutor； and made him comfortable
on a high chair in the witness…box； from where the old bulldog sat
scowling down over the rail upon the amazed and gaping jury。
THE SEVENTH CHAPTER
THE END OF THE MYSTERY
THE trial went swiftly forward after that。 Mr。 Jenkyns told the Doctor
to ask Bob what he saw on the 〃night of the 29th；〃 and when Bob had told
all he knew and the Doctor had turned it into English for the judge and the
jury； this was what he had to say：
〃On the night of the 29th of November； 1824； I was with my master；
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THE VOYAGES OF DOCTOR DOOLITTLE
Luke Fitzjohn （otherwise known as Luke the Hermit） and his two partners；
Manuel Mendoza and William Boggs （otherwise known as Bluebeard Bill）
on their gold…mine in Mexico。 For a long time these three men had been
hunting for gold； and they had dug a deep hole in the ground。 On the
morning of the 29th gold was discovered； lots of it； at the bottom of this
hole。 And all three； my master and his two partners； were very happy
about it because now they would be rich。 But Manuel Mendoza asked
Bluebeard Bill to go for a walk with him。 These two men I had always
suspected of being bad。 So when I noticed that they left my master behind；
I followed them secretly to see what they were up to。 And in a deep cave
in the mountains I heard them arrange together to kill Luke the Hermit so
that they should get all the gold and he have none。〃
At this point the judge asked； 〃Where is the witness Mendoza？
Constable； see that he does not leave the court。〃
But the wicked little man with the watery eyes had already sneaked
out when no one was looking and he was never seen in Puddleby again。
〃Then；〃 Bob's statement went on； 〃I went to my master and tried very
hard to make him understand that his partners were dangerous men。 But it
was no use。 He did not understand dog language。 So I did the next best
thing： I never let him out of my sight but stayed with him every moment
of the day and night。
〃Now the hole that they had made was so deep that to get down and up
it you had to go in a big bucket tied on the end of a rope； and the three
men used to haul one another up and let one another down the mine in this
way。 That was how the gold was brought up tooin the bucket。 Well；
about seven o'clock in the evening my master was standing at the top of
the mine； hauling up Bluebeard Bill who was in the bucket。 Just as he had
got Bill halfway up I saw Mendoza come out of the hut where we all lived。
Mendoza thought that Bill was away buying groceries。 But he wasn't： he
was in the bucket。 And when Mendoza saw