At last the voyage was about to begin.
"There!" exclaimed the doctor, "I think we're ready to sail!"
Tommy rubbed his hands together with excitement.
When he saw his crying mother, he turned his back.
Tommy did not want her to see how excited he was to leave.
"Why can't we come with you, Dr. Dolittle!" Gub-Gub snorted loudly.
"It's not fair!" barked Jip angrily.
"I can cook for you," quacked Dab-Dab.
"Hmm, what time is it?" yawned a sleepy Too-Too.
Dr. Dolittle knelt down before them.
"I wish all of you could come," he said kindly, "but the boat is too small.
"Besides," he continued, "who is going to take care of the house and garden?"
The animals hung their heads low.
They really wanted to go on this voyage with the doctor.
"Am I late?" a voice shouted from a distance.
Tommy squinted his eyes.
"Oh!" he said, "it's the prince."
The prince wore a white sailor suit and hat.
He carried two very large suitcases.
"Your Highness," Dr. Dolittle began.
The prince smiled broadly.
"On this voyage I am not a prince.
I'm a sailor," he said.
"You may call me . . ."—he paused—"Charles."
"Okay Charles," said Dr. Dolittle.
"Er...Charles," he continued, chuckling, "I'm afraid you can't bring both those bags."
"Why not?" the prince asked.
"We don't have enough room," Dr. Dolittle replied.
"But I need all my books," said Charles, "and my rock collection, my shoes, my cooking spices, my . . ."
But in the end, Charles had to leave everything behind.
Dr. Dolittle clapped his hands.
"Well, we should get going."
Tommy hugged his parents.
"Remember to brush your teeth every morning," sobbed his mother.
"Here," his father said, "I made these for you."
He handed Tommy a brand new pair of shoes.
"I will wear them every day," Tommy promised.
Dr. Dolittle looked around.
"That's odd," he said.
"Where did everyone go?"
The animals were nowhere to be seen.
"I saw them here a minute ago," said Tommy.
"They must have gone home because they were too upset," said the doctor.
Then he cupped his hands and shouted:
"All aboard on The Curlew!"
As they left Puddleby, Tommy looked over the map.
"I can't find Spider Monkey Island," he said.
"Of course not," answered the doctor.
"What do you mean?" asked Tommy.
"Spider Monkey Island is a floating island!" replied the doctor.
"A floating island?" Tommy cried out.
"Then how are we going to find it?"
"Don't worry," said the doctor, "Miranda told us where to look."
"And the whales and eagles will tell us how to get there," Polynesia added.
Tommy put the map down.
"I guess we won't need this," he said.
"Dr. Dolittle!" Charles ran toward them.
The doctor turned to look at him.
"I was making sandwiches for our lunch," said Charles, "when I discovered something interesting."
He motioned for them to follow.
Charles put a finger to his lips and tiptoed into the kitchen.
Everyone followed him quietly.
"Now watch this," he whispered.
Charles made a large sandwich and placed it on the table.
The cupboard door opened and something snatched the sandwich off the table.
Dr. Dolittle quietly went to the cupboard and swung the door open.
"Gub-Gub!" the doctor shouted.
The pig began to cry.
"I'm sorry, Dr. Dolittle!
Jip made me do it."
A deep growling sound came from a sack of potatoes.
Tommy went over and opened it.
"Sorry, Doctor," Jip barked, from inside the bag.
"Well, it looks as if we have a few uninvited guests!" the doctor remarked.
"Uh, Doctor," Tommy pointed to a large barrel.
"I think that barrel just coughed."
Dr. Dolittle opened the lid and found old Matthew covered in flour.
"Ahhh," muttered Matthew wiped his nose. "Ahhh-chooooo!"