There was much to prepare before the voyage. First, they needed a boat. A local fisherman named Joe had a boat for sale.
Dr. Dolittle and Tommy looked over the boat. It was named The Curlew. The Curlew would be perfect for their journey. However, there was one problem. "You need three people to sail this vessel," Joe explained.
"Will you hire two sailors?" Tommy asked the doctor.
Dr. Dolittle shook his head. "No, I always prefer to sail with friends."
"What about Matthew?" Tommy suggested.
"It may be a difficult journey," Dr. Dolittle stated. "I think Matthew may be too old."
"Then how about Luke?" Tommy said excitedly. The doctor stopped in his tracks.
"Yes, that sounds like a good idea, Tommy," he said. "Let’s go, Jip."
Luke lived just outside of Puddleby. Most everyone was afraid of Luke. He didn’t talk much, nor was he friendly to others. But Dr. Dolittle and Tommy both knew he had a good heart.
"That’s odd," said Dr. Dolittle when they reached Luke’s cottage. "Luke is usually sitting over there"—he pointed to a rocking chair—"and Bob always comes over to greet us." Bob was Luke’s big black scary dog. He growled and barked at everyone. But he didn’t mind the doctor and Tommy. And he was friendly with Jip, too.
Tommy looked through the window. "There’s nobody inside," he remarked. It was very strange indeed. Jip kept his nose close to the ground. Suddenly he let out a low growl.
"What is it, Jip?" asked the doctor. Jip lifted his head and let out a pitiful howl. He was clearly upset. Dr. Dolittle kept asking him what the matter was. But Jip only howled more loudly.
Finally Jip said to the doctor, "I have to go quickly!"
"Jip, what on earth is happening?" Dr. Dolittle shouted.
"I don’t have time to explain," he barked. And with that Jip quickly ran off.
They returned home without Jip.
"Is Jip back yet?" Dr. Dolittle asked when he walked in the door.
"We thought he was with you," Dab-Dab said, confused.
"What’s happened, doctor?" Polynesia asked.
Dr. Dolittle told the others about The Curlew, about Luke, and about Jip’s strange behavior."Something is definitely wrong," the doctor concluded. Suddenly they heard loud noises outside.
Tommy ran to the window. "It’s Jip and . . . Bob!"
The two dogs were very upset. Bob looked so angry that Tommy felt afraid to get near him.
Only Dr. Dolittle was brave enough to approach. "Jip! Bob! Calm down!" he ordered. The dogs obeyed. "Now," continued the doctor, "tell me what happened."
"Luke is a good man. He didn’t do it," Bob barked over and over again.
"Didn’t do what?" asked Dr. Dolittle. "He didn’t kill that man!" howled Bob. Tommy took another step back.
"Kill who, Bob?" the doctor demanded to know.
"That man fell in the well," wailed Bob.
"Where is Luke now?" asked Dr. Dolittle.
"In jail," Jip answered.
"We must go and see him," said the doctor, firmly.