Medicine And Magic

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"Yes, it would," said the Doctor quickly. "Well, I will do what I can for you. You will have to be very patient though--you know with some medicines you can never be very sure. I might have to try two or three times. You have a strong skin--yes? Well that's all right. Now come over here by the light--Oh, but before I do anything, you must first go down to the beach and get a ship ready, with food in it, to take me across the sea. Do not speak a word of this to any one. And when I have done as you ask, you must let me and all my animals out of prison. Promise--by the crown of Jolliginki!"

So the Prince promised and went away to get a ship ready at the seashore.

When he came back and said that it was done, the Doctor asked Dab-Dab to bring a basin. Then he mixed a lot of medicines in the basin and told Bumpo to dip his face in it.

The Prince leaned down and put his face in --right up to the ears.

He held it there a long time--so long that the Doctor seemed to get dreadfully anxious and fidgety, standing first on one leg and then on the other, looking at all the bottles he had used for the mixture, and reading the labels on them again and again. A strong smell filled the prison, like the smell of brown paper burning.

At last the Prince lifted his face up out of the basin, breathing very hard. And all the animals cried out in surprise.

For the Prince's face had turned as white as snow, and his eyes, which had been mud-colored, were a manly gray!

When John Dolittle lent him a little looking-glass to see himself in, he sang for joy and began dancing around the prison. But the Doctor asked him not to make so much noise about it; and when he had closed his medicine-bag in a hurry he told him to open the prison-door.

Bumpo begged that he might keep the looking-glass, as it was the only one in the Kingdom of Jolliginki, and he wanted to look at himself all day long. But the Doctor said he needed it to shave with.

Then the Prince, taking a bunch of copper keys from his pocket, undid the great double locks. And the Doctor with all his animals ran as fast as they could down to the seashore; while Bumpo leaned against the wall of the empty dungeon, smiling after them happily, his big face shining like polished ivory in the light of the moon.

When they came to the beach they saw Polynesia and Chee-Chee waiting for them on the rocks near the ship.

"I feel sorry about Bumpo," said the Doctor.

"I am afraid that medicine I used will never last. Most likely he will be as black as ever when he wakes up in the morning--that's one reason why I didn't like to leave the mirror with him. But then again, he MIGHT stay white--I had never used that mixture before. To tell the truth, I was surprised, myself, that it worked so well. But I had to do something, didn't I? --I couldn't possibly scrub the King's kitchen for the rest of my life. It was such a dirty kitchen!--I could see it from the prison-window.--Well, well!--Poor Bumpo!"