could be, and where he lived. I was a perfect stranger to him,
and yet he was taking me to his own home to get dried. Such a
change, after the old red-faced Colonel who had refused even to
tell me the time! Presently we stopped.

"Here we are," he said.

I looked up to see where we were and found myself back at the
foot of the steps leading to the little house with the big
garden! My new friend was already running up the steps and
opening the gate with some keys he took from his pocket.

"Surely," I thought, "this cannot be the great Doctor Dolittle
himself!"

I suppose after hearing so much about him I had expected some one
very tall and strong and marvelous. It was hard to believe that
this funny little man with the kind smiling face could be really
he. Yet here he was, sure enough, running up the steps and
opening the very gate which I had been watching for so many days!

The dog, Jip, came rushing out and started jumping up on him and
barking with happiness. The rain was splashing down heavier than
ever.

"Are you Doctor Dolittle?" I shouted as we sped up the short
garden-path to the house.

"Yes, I'm Doctor Dolittle," said he, opening the front door with
the same bunch of keys. "Get in! Don't bother about wiping your