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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— 158 —<br />
“Well, hang it all, I’ve d<strong>on</strong>e more than old J., anyhow,” rejo<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ed<br />
Harris.<br />
“Well, you couldn’t very well have d<strong>on</strong>e less,” added George.<br />
“I suppose J. th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ks he is <strong>the</strong> passenger,” c<strong>on</strong>t<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ued Harris.<br />
And that was <strong>the</strong>ir gratitude to me for hav<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g brought <strong>the</strong>m<br />
and <strong>the</strong>ir wretched old boat all <strong>the</strong> way up from K<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gst<strong>on</strong>, and<br />
for hav<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g super<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>tended and managed everyth<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g for <strong>the</strong>m,<br />
and taken care of <strong>the</strong>m, and slaved for <strong>the</strong>m. It is <strong>the</strong> way of<br />
<strong>the</strong> world.<br />
We settled <strong>the</strong> present difficulty by arrang<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g that Harris<br />
and George should scull up past Read<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g, and that I should<br />
tow <strong>the</strong> boat <strong>on</strong> from <strong>the</strong>re. Pull<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g a heavy boat aga<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>st a<br />
str<strong>on</strong>g stream has few attracti<strong>on</strong>s for me now. There was a<br />
time, l<strong>on</strong>g ago, when I used to clamour for <strong>the</strong> hard work: now<br />
I like to give <strong>the</strong> youngsters a chance.<br />
I notice that most of <strong>the</strong> old river hands are similarly retir<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g,<br />
whenever <strong>the</strong>re is any stiff pull<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g to be d<strong>on</strong>e. You can<br />
always tell <strong>the</strong> old river hand by <strong>the</strong> way <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> which he stretches<br />
himself out up<strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> cushi<strong>on</strong>s at <strong>the</strong> bottom of <strong>the</strong> boat, and<br />
encourages <strong>the</strong> rowers by tell<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <strong>the</strong>m anecdotes about <strong>the</strong><br />
marvellous feats he performed last seas<strong>on</strong>.<br />
“Call what you’re do<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g hard work!” he drawls, between his<br />
c<strong>on</strong>tented whiffs, address<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <strong>the</strong> two perspir<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g novices, who<br />
have been gr<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>d<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g away steadily up stream for <strong>the</strong> last hour<br />
and a half; “why, Jim Biffles and Jack and I, last seas<strong>on</strong>, pulled<br />
up from Marlow to Gor<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong>e afterno<strong>on</strong> — never stopped<br />
<strong>on</strong>ce. Do you remember that, Jack?”<br />
Jack, who has made himself a bed up <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> prow of all <strong>the</strong><br />
rugs and coats he can collect, and who has been ly<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <strong>the</strong>re<br />
asleep for <strong>the</strong> last two hours, partially wakes up <strong>on</strong> be<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g thus<br />
appealed to, and recollects all about <strong>the</strong> matter, and also remembers<br />
that <strong>the</strong>re was an unusually str<strong>on</strong>g stream aga<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>st<br />
<strong>the</strong>m all <strong>the</strong> way — likewise a stiff w<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>d.<br />
“About thirty-four miles, I suppose, it must have been,” adds<br />
<strong>the</strong> first speaker, reach<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g down ano<strong>the</strong>r cushi<strong>on</strong> to put under<br />
his head.