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〃Of course he's aliveand it's my firm belief he always will be。 He's
over there； about forty miles to the westward。〃
〃What's he doing there？〃
〃He's sitting on the other half of the Curlew shaving himself or he
was； when I left him。〃
〃Well； thank Heaven he's alive！〃 said I〃And Bumpoand the animals；
are they all right？〃
〃Yes； they're with him。 Your ship broke in half in the storm。 The
Doctor had tied you down when he found you stunned。 And the part you
were on got separated and floated away。 Golly； it was a storm！ One has to
be a gull or an albatross to stand that sort of weather。 I had been watching
for the Doctor for three weeks； from a cliff…top； but last night I had to take
refuge in a cave to keep my tail…feathers from blowing out。 As soon as I
found the Doctor； he sent me off with some porpoises to look for you。 A
Stormy Petrel volunteered to help us in our search。 There had been quite a
gathering of sea…birds waiting to greet the Doctor； but the rough weather
sort of broke up the arrangements that had been made to welcome him
properly。 It was the petrel that first gave us the tip where you were。〃
〃Well； but how can I get to the Doctor； Miranda？I haven't any oars。〃
〃Get to him！Why； you're going to him now。 Look behind you。〃
I turned around。 The moon was just rising on the sea's edge。 And I now
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saw that my raft was moving through the water； but so gently that I had
not noticed it before。
〃What's moving us？〃 I asked。
〃The porpoises；〃 said Miranda。
I went to the back of the raft and looked down into the water。 And just
below the surface I could see the dim forms of four big porpoises； their
sleek skins glinting in the moonlight； pushing at the raft with their noses。
〃They're old friends of the Doctor's；〃 said Miranda。 〃They'd do
anything for John Dolittle。 We should see his party soon now。 We're pretty
near the place I left themYes； there they are！ See that dark shape？No；
more to the right of where you're looking。 Can't you make out the figure of
the black man standing against the sky？Now Chee…Chee spies ushe's
waving。 Don't you see them？〃
I didn'tfor my eyes were not as sharp as Miranda's。 But presently
from somewhere in the murky dusk I heard Bumpo singing his African
comic songs with the full force of his enormous voice。 And in a little； by
peering and peering in the direction of the sound； I at last made out a dim
mass of tattered； splintered wreckageall that remained of the poor
Curlew floating low down upon the water。
A hulloa came through the night。 And I answered it。 We kept it up；
calling to one another back and forth across the calm night sea。 And a few
minutes later the two halves of our brave little ruined ship bumped gently
together again。
Now that I was nearer and the moon was higher I could see more
plainly。 Their half of the ship was much bigger than mine。
It lay partly upon its side； and most of them were perched upon the top
munching ship's biscuit。
But close down to the edge of the water； using the sea's calm surface
for a mirror and a piece of broken bottle for a razor； John Dolittle was
shaving his face by the light of the moon。
THE FIFTH CHAPTER
LAND！
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THEY all gave me a great greeting as I clambered off my half of the
ship on to theirs。 Bumpo brought me a wonderful drink of fresh water
which he drew from a barrel； and Chee…Chee and Polynesia stood around
me feeding me ship's biscuit。
But it was the sight of the Doctor's smiling facejust knowing that I
was with him once againthat cheered me more than anything else。 As I
watched him carefully wipe his glass razor and put it away for future use； I
could not help comparing him in my mind with the Stormy Petrel。 Indeed
the vast strange knowledge which he had gained from his speech and
friendship with animals had brought him the power to do things which no
other human being would dare to try。 Like the petrel； he could apparently
play with the sea in all her moods。 It was no wonder that many of the
ignorant savage peoples among whom he passed in his voyages made
statues of him showing him as half a fish； half a bird； and half a man。 And
ridiculous though it was； I could quite understand what Miranda meant
when she said she firmly believed that he could never die。 Just to be with
him gave you a wonderful feeling of comfort and safety。
Except for his appearance （his clothes were crumpled and damp and
his battered high hat was stained with salt water） that storm which had so
terrified me had disturbed him no more than getting stuck on the mud…
bank in Puddleby River。
Politely thanking Miranda for getting me so quickly； he asked her if
she would now go ahead of us and show us the way to Spidermonkey
Island。 Next； he gave orders to the porpoises to leave my old piece of the
ship and push the bigger half wherever the Bird…of…Paradise should lead
us。
How much he had lost in the wreck besides his razor I did not know
everything； most likely； together with all the money he had saved up to
buy the ship with。 And still he was smiling as though he wanted for
nothing in the world。 The only things he had saved； as far as I could see
beyond the barrel of water and bag of biscuit were his precious note…
books。 These； I saw when he stood up； he had strapped around his waist
with yards and yards of twine。 He was； as old Matthew Mugg used to say；
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a great man。 He was unbelievable。
And now for three days we continued our journey slowly but steadily
southward。
The only inconvenience we suffered from was the cold。 This seemed
to increase as we went forward。 The Doctor said that the island； disturbed
from its usual paths by the great gale； had evidently drifted further South
than it had ever been before。
On the third night poor Miranda came back to us nearly frozen。 She
told the Doctor that in the morning we would find the island quite close to