# We Depart in a Hurry explained — The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle

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

## What happens

After the Doctor's triumph in the bullring, Polynesia senses danger from the angry crowd and urges a quick escape. While the Doctor slips away to the ship, Tommy, Bumpo, and Polynesia collect winnings, buy provisions, and narrowly evade a mob before rowing to the Curlew and setting sail for Brazil.

## Themes in this chapter

### Adventure and Exploration

The chapter depicts a thrilling escape from an angry mob, highlighting the adventurous spirit of the journey.

### Friendship and Loyalty

The group works together under pressure, with Bumpo risking injury to protect his friends and Polynesia guiding the escape.

### Freedom vs. Confinement

The characters flee the confinement of the hostile crowd and the bullring to regain their freedom at sea.

## Character check-ins

### Polynesia

Orchestrates the collection of jewelry and money, senses danger, and directs the group's escape.

### Bumpo Kahbooboo

Collects the thrown jewelry, collects his bet from Don Enrique, and fends off the mob with a beam of wood.

### Tommy Stubbins

Assists in buying provisions and loading the boat, and rows for the Curlew.

### Chee-Chee

Sent by the Doctor to wait with the rowboat at the landing-wall, helps load supplies.

### Doctor Dolittle

Leaves the bullring quietly to prepare the ship for departure.

### Don Enrique Cardenas

Pays his bet of three-thousand pesetas to Bumpo, though cross-eyed with annoyance.

## Key lines

> As soon as the door closed behind the Doctor the most tremendous noise I have ever heard broke loose.

The moment the Doctor left, an enormous uproar erupted.

_Tommy describes the chaotic reaction of the crowd after the Doctor's performance._

> I smell danger. I think you had better get back to the ship now as quick and as quietly as you can.

Polynesia warns that trouble is coming and urges a swift, quiet return to the ship.

_Polynesia's instinct for danger prompts the group's hasty departure._

> Bumpo snatched up a big beam of wood that lay near and swung it round and round his head, letting out dreadful African battle-yells the while.

Bumpo grabbed a large wooden beam and swung it while shouting fierce battle cries.

_Bumpo's action holds off the mob long enough for the others to escape._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_voyages_of_doctor_dolittle_se/chapters/part-iii-ix-we-depart-in-a-hurry
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_voyages_of_doctor_dolittle_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_voyages_of_doctor_dolittle_se/chapters