Three Men in a Boat / Three Men on the Bummel
Three Men in a Boat / Three Men on the Bummel
Three Men in a Boat / Three Men on the Bummel
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— 113 —<br />
<strong>the</strong> eggs that had not smashed and g<strong>on</strong>e over everyth<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong><br />
hamper, and begged him to beg<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>.<br />
He had some trouble <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> break<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <strong>the</strong> eggs — or ra<strong>the</strong>r not<br />
so much trouble <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> break<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <strong>the</strong>m exactly as <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> gett<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <strong>the</strong>m<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>to <strong>the</strong> fry<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g-pan when broken, and keep<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <strong>the</strong>m off his<br />
trousers, and prevent<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <strong>the</strong>m from runn<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g up his sleeve;<br />
but he fixed some half-a-dozen <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>to <strong>the</strong> pan at last, and <strong>the</strong>n<br />
squatted down by <strong>the</strong> side of <strong>the</strong> stove and chivied <strong>the</strong>m about<br />
with a fork.<br />
It seemed harass<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g work, so far as George and I could judge.<br />
Whenever he went near <strong>the</strong> pan he burned himself, and <strong>the</strong>n<br />
he would drop everyth<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g and dance round <strong>the</strong> stove, flick<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
his f<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gers about and curs<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <strong>the</strong> th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gs. Indeed, every time<br />
George and I looked round at him he was sure to be perform<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
this feat. We thought at first that it was a necessary part of<br />
<strong>the</strong> cul<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ary arrangements.<br />
We did not know what scrambled eggs were, and we fancied<br />
that it must be some Red Indian or Sandwich Islands sort of<br />
dish that required dances and <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>cantati<strong>on</strong>s for its proper cook<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g.<br />
M<strong>on</strong>tmorency went and put his nose over it <strong>on</strong>ce, and <strong>the</strong><br />
fat spluttered up and scalded him, and <strong>the</strong>n he began danc<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
and curs<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g. Altoge<strong>the</strong>r it was <strong>on</strong>e of <strong>the</strong> most <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>terest<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g and<br />
excit<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g operati<strong>on</strong>s I have ever witnessed. George and I were<br />
both quite sorry when it was over.<br />
The result was not altoge<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> success that Harris had<br />
anticipated. There seemed so little to show for <strong>the</strong> bus<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ess. Six<br />
eggs had g<strong>on</strong>e <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>to <strong>the</strong> fry<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g-pan, and all that came out was a<br />
teaspo<strong>on</strong>ful of burnt and unappetiz<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g look<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g mess.<br />
Harris said it was <strong>the</strong> fault of <strong>the</strong> fry<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g-pan, and thought it<br />
would have g<strong>on</strong>e better if we had had a fish-kettle and a gasstove;<br />
and we decided not to attempt <strong>the</strong> dish aga<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> until we<br />
had those aids to housekeep<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g by us.<br />
The sun had got more powerful by <strong>the</strong> time we had f<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ished<br />
breakfast, and <strong>the</strong> w<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>d had dropped, and it was as lovely a<br />
morn<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g as <strong>on</strong>e could desire. Little was <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> sight to rem<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>d us of<br />
<strong>the</strong> n<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>eteenth century; and, as we looked out up<strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> river