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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.

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