# XIII: Red Sails and Blue Wings explained — The Story of Doctor Dolittle

> Chapter companion for The Story of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting.

## What happens

On the voyage home, the Doctor's ship is pursued by Barbary pirates. Jip's keen sense of smell detects the danger even in his sleep. The Doctor, with the help of Dab-Dab and the swallows, devises a plan to escape by having the swallows pull the ship with strings, outrunning the pirates.

## Themes in this chapter

### Adventure and Exploration

The chapter depicts a high-seas chase and clever escape, highlighting the adventurous spirit.

### Friendship and Loyalty

The animals and swallows work together loyally to save the Doctor from the pirates.

## Character check-ins

### Doctor Dolittle

Leads the escape from the pirates by following the swallows' advice.

### Dab-Dab

Spots the red sail and warns the Doctor; relays message to the swallows.

### Jip

Smells the pirates and the danger in his sleep, alerting the crew.

### Gub-Gub

Expresses fear and frustration about the slow ship.

## Key lines

> I smell bad men—the worst men I ever smelt. I smell trouble. I smell a fight—six bad scoundrels fighting against one brave man.

Jip senses dangerous men and an impending conflict.

_Demonstrates Jip's extraordinary olfactory abilities and his protective nature._

> And although swallows are not very strong when only one or two are by themselves, it is different when there are a great lot of them together.

Swallows individually are weak, but collectively they are powerful.

_Illustrates the theme of cooperation and strength in numbers._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_story_of_doctor_dolittle_se/chapters/xiii-red-sails-and-blue-wings
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_story_of_doctor_dolittle_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_story_of_doctor_dolittle_se/chapters