FROM that time on of course my position in the town was very different. I was no longer a poor cobbler’s son. I carried my nose in the air as I went down the High Street with Jip in his gold collar at my side; and little boys who had despised me before because I was not rich enough to go to school now me out to their friends and whispered, “You see him? He’s a doctor’s assistant—and only ten years old!”  
But their eyes would have opened still wider with wonder if they had but known that I and the dog that was with me could talk to one another.
 
Two days after the Doctor had been to our house to dinner he told me very sadly that he was afraid that he would have to give up trying to learn the language of the shellfish—at all events for the present.
 
“I’m very discouraged, Stubbins, very. I’ve tried the mussels and the , the and the whelks, cockles and scallops; seven different kinds of and all the family. I think I’ll leave it for the present and go at it again later on.”
 
“What will you turn to now?” I asked.
 
“Well, I rather thought of going on a voyage, Stubbins. It’s quite a time now since I’ve been away. And there is a great deal of work waiting for me abroad.”
 
“When shall we start?” I asked.
 
“Well, first I shall have to wait till the Purple Bird-of-Paradise gets here. I must see if she has any message for me from Long Arrow. She’s late. She should have been here ten days ago. I hope to goodness she’s all right.”
 
“Well, hadn’t we better be seeing about getting a boat?” I said. “She is sure to be here in a day or so; and there will be lots of things to do to get ready in the mean time, won’t there?”
 
“Yes, indeed,” said ............