Tommy in clothes as well. But money is a very irregular thing
with me; sometimes I have some, and then sometimes I haven't."

"You are very good, Doctor," said my mother, drying her tears.
"It seems to me that Tommy is a very fortunate boy."

And then, thoughtless, selfish little imp that I was, I leaned
over and whispered in the Doctor's ear,

"Please don't forget to say something about the voyages."

"Oh, by the way," said John Dolittle, "of course occasionally my
work requires me to travel. You will have no objection, I take
it, to your son's coming with me?"

My poor mother looked up sharply, more unhappy and anxious than
ever at this new turn; while I stood behind the Doctor's chair,
my heart thumping with excitement, waiting for my father's
answer.

"No," he said slowly after a while. "If we agree to the other
arrangement I don't see that we've the right to make any
objection to that."

Well, there surely was never a happier boy in the world than I
was at that moment. My head was in the clouds. I trod on air. I
could scarcely keep from dancing round the parlor. At last the
dream of my life was to come true! At last I was to be given a
chance to seek my fortune, to have adventures! For I knew
perfectly well that it was now almost time for the Doctor to