you a hundred pounds the Doctor wins.' Then if he does win, Don
Enrique pays me a hundred pounds; and if he doesn't, I have to pay Don
Enrique."

"That's the idea," said Polynesia. "Only don't say a hundred pounds: say
two-thousand five-hundred pesetas. Now come and find old Don Ricky-ticky
and try to look rich."

So we crossed the street again and slipped into the bed-maker's shop
while the Doctor was still busy with his boots.

"Don Enrique," said Bumpo, "allow me to introduce myself. I am the Crown
Prince of Jolliginki. Would you care to have a small bet with me on
to-morrow's bullfight?"

Don Enrique bowed.

"Why certainly," he said, "I shall be delighted. But I must warn you
that you are bound to lose. How much?"

"Oh a mere truffle," said Bumpo--"just for the fun of the thing, you
know. What do you say to three-thousand pesetas?"

"I agree," said the Spaniard bowing once more. "I will meet you after
the bullfight to-morrow."

"So that's all right," said Polynesia as we came out to join the Doctor.
"I feel as though quite a load had been taken off my mind."

THE EIGHTH CHAPTER. THE GREAT BULLFIGHT

THE next day was a great day in Monteverde. All the streets were hung
with flags; and everywhere gaily dressed crowds were to be seen flocking
towards the bull-ring, as the big circus was called where the fights
took place.

The news of the Doctor's challenge had gone round the town and, it
seemed, had caused much amusement to the islanders. The very idea of
a mere foreigner daring to match himself against the great Pepito de
Malaga!--Serve him right if he got killed!

The Doctor had borrowed a bullfighter's suit from Don Enrique; and very
gay and wonderful he looked in it, though Bumpo and I had hard work
getting the waistcoat to close in front and even then the buttons kept
bursting off it in all directions.

When we set out from the harbor to walk to the bull-ring, crowds of
small boys ran after us making fun of the Doctor's fatness, calling
out, "Juan Hagapoco, el grueso matador!" which is the Spanish for, "John
Dolittle, the fat bullfighter." As soon as we arrived the Doctor said
he would like to take a look at the bulls before the fight began; and
we were at once led to the bull pen where, behind a high railing, six
enormous black bulls were tramping around wildly.

In a few hurried words and signs the Doctor told the bulls what he was
going to do and gave them careful instructions for their