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Three Men in a Boat / Three Men on the Bummel

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— 138 —<br />

Fruiterer’s boy, with basket.<br />

Myself, carry<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g three hats and a pair of boots,<br />

and try<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g to look as if I didn’t know it.<br />

Six small boys, and four stray dogs.<br />

When we got down to <strong>the</strong> land<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g-stage, <strong>the</strong> boatman said:<br />

“Let me see, sir; was yours a steam-launch or a houseboat?”<br />

On our <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>form<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g him it was a double-scull<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g skiff, he<br />

seemed surprised.<br />

We had a good deal of trouble with steam launches that<br />

morn<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g. It was just before <strong>the</strong> Henley week, and <strong>the</strong>y were<br />

go<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g up <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> large numbers; some by <strong>the</strong>mselves, some tow<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />

houseboats. I do hate steam launches: I suppose every row<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />

man does. I never see a steam launch but I feel I should like to<br />

lure it to a l<strong>on</strong>ely part of <strong>the</strong> river, and <strong>the</strong>re, <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> silence and<br />

<strong>the</strong> solitude, strangle it.<br />

There is a blatant bumptiousness about a steam launch that<br />

has <strong>the</strong> knack of rous<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g every evil <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>st<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ct <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> my nature, and<br />

I yearn for <strong>the</strong> good old days, when you could go about and<br />

tell people what you thought of <strong>the</strong>m with a hatchet and a bow<br />

and arrows. The expressi<strong>on</strong> <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> face of <strong>the</strong> man who, with<br />

his hands <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> his pockets, stands by <strong>the</strong> stern, smok<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g a cigar,<br />

is sufficient to excuse a breach of <strong>the</strong> peace by itself; and <strong>the</strong><br />

lordly whistle for you to get out of <strong>the</strong> way would, I am c<strong>on</strong>fident,<br />

ensure a verdict of “justifiable homicide” from any jury<br />

of river men.<br />

They used to have to whistle for us to get out of <strong>the</strong>ir way. If<br />

I may do so, without appear<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g boastful, I th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>k I can h<strong>on</strong>estly<br />

say that our <strong>on</strong>e small boat, dur<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g that week, caused more<br />

annoyance and delay and aggravati<strong>on</strong> to <strong>the</strong> steam launches<br />

that we came across than all <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r craft <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> river put<br />

toge<strong>the</strong>r.<br />

“Steam launch, com<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g!” <strong>on</strong>e of us would cry out, <strong>on</strong> sight<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />

<strong>the</strong> enemy <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> distance; and, <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> an <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>stant, everyth<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />

was got ready to receive her. I would take <strong>the</strong> l<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>es, and Harris

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