18 Jip to the Rescue

CHAPTER 18 Jip to the Rescue Dab-Dab and Too-Too knew they could not look everywhere. It would be hard even with the

swallows' help. So Too-Too went to talk to the eagles. He found a black eagle, a bald eagle, and a golden eagle. They all agreed to fly over the jungles, forests, and mountains to look for the uncle. The eagles returned to the boat the next day. "I'm sorry," the bald eagle said. "We didn't see the man you described. We'll keep our eye out, but I don't think he's anywhere on land." Doctor Dolittle thanked the eagles for their help. He shook his head. "I think I'm running out of ideas," he said. "I have no idea where to look now." "Why don't you let me try," Jip said. "You?" Dab-Dab said. "What can you do?" "I might be able to find him by smell," Jip said. "Oh, don't be ridiculous," Dab-Dab said. "We're in the middle of the ocean. You won't be able to smell anything out here!"

"You would be surprised," Jip said. He held his head high. He was not going to let a duck insult him. "Doctor Dolittle," the dog continued, "you could ask the boy if he has anything that belongs to his uncle." Doctor Dolittle did as Jip asked. The boy gave him a gold ring on a string. "My uncle handed it to me as soon as we saw the pirate ship," he said. "No," Jip said to the doctor. "That won't do. Could you ask him if he has anything made of cloth?" Once again Doctor Dolittle did as Jip asked. The boy handed the doctor a bright red bandanna. "Perfect!" Jip said. "Now, if you just let me smell it..." Jip stuck his nose to the bandanna. He took many deep breaths. "Don't worry, Doctor Dolittle," the dog said at last. "Please tell the boy that I will find his uncle. I'll definitely find his trail."

But it took several days. The problem was the wind. Jip could only smell scents that were blowing toward them. For the first few days, the wind was blowing from the east. Therefore, Jip could only smell things from that direction. Someone was making a lamb stew. Someone else was burning some leaves. However, there was no smell of the uncle. Then one morning they woke up to winds from the west. Jip walked quickly to the railing on that side of the boat. He sniffed the air a few times, then called the doctor. "I've got it!" he said. "I know where we should go." "Really?" Doctor Dolittle said. "That's so exciting!" "I'll stand at the front of the boat," Jip said. "Follow my nose as I sniff the air. We'll go straight to the uncle." They did exactly as Jip asked. But instead of finding the uncle, they found a large rock. They

sailed around and around it, but no one was there. "I can smell him, though," Jip insisted. "He is definitely on that rock!" One of the swallows flew over the rock. She went back and forth a few times. Then she hurried back to the boat. She told Doctor Dolittle that there was a large hole at the center of the rock.

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