And the Mayor stopped before the house
where the Doctor was living; and everybody in
the village gathered round to see what was going
to happen.
After six page-boys had blown on shining
trumpets to make the people stop talking, the
Doctor came out on to the steps and the Mayor
spoke.
"Doctor John Dolittle," said he: "It is a
great pleasure for me to present to the man who
rid the seas of the Dragon of Barbary this little
token from the grateful people of our worthy
Town."
And the Mayor took from his pocket a little
tissue-paper packet, and opening it, he handed
to the Doctor a perfectly beautiful watch with
real diamonds in the back.
Then the Mayor pulled out of his pocket a
still larger parcel and said,
"Where is the dog?"
Then everybody started to hunt for Jip. And
at last Dab-Dab found him on the other side
of the village in a stable-yard, where all the
dogs of the country-side were standing round
him speechless with admiration and respect.
When Jip was brought to the Doctor's side,
the Mayor opened the larger parcel; and inside
was a dog-collar made of solid gold! And a
great murmur of wonder went up from the village-
folk as the Mayor bent down and fastened
it round the dog's neck with his own hands.
For written on the collar in big letters were
these words: "JIP-THE CLEVEREST DOG IN THE WORLD."
Then the whole crowd moved down to the
beach to see them off. And after the red-haired
fisherman and his sister and the little boy had
thanked the Doctor and his dog over and over
and over again, the great, swift ship with the
red sails was turned once more towards Puddleby
and they sailed out to sea, while the village-
band played music on the shore.
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