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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— 205 —<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g, <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> tak<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g up casually at <strong>the</strong> club a copy of <strong>the</strong> Sportsman, I<br />
had come across <strong>the</strong> follow<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g advertisement:—<br />
TO YACHTSMEN. — Unique Opportunity. — “Rogue,”<br />
28 -t<strong>on</strong> Yawl. — Owner, called away suddenly <strong>on</strong> bus<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ess,<br />
is will<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g to let this superbly-fitted “greyhound of <strong>the</strong><br />
sea” for any period short or l<strong>on</strong>g. Two cab<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>s and salo<strong>on</strong>;<br />
pianette, by Woffenkoff; new copper. Terms, 10 gu<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>eas a<br />
week. — Apply Pertwee and Co., 3A Bucklersbury.<br />
It had seemed to me like <strong>the</strong> answer to a prayer. “The new<br />
copper” did not <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>terest me; what little wash<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g we might want<br />
could wait, I thought. But <strong>the</strong> “pianette by Woffenkoff ” sounded<br />
allur<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g. I pictured E<strong>the</strong>lbertha play<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> even<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g —<br />
someth<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g with a chorus, <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> which, perhaps, <strong>the</strong> crew, with a<br />
little tra<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g><str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g, might jo<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> — while our mov<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g home bounded,<br />
“greyhound-like,” over <strong>the</strong> silvery billows.<br />
I took a cab and drove direct to 3A Bucklersbury. Mr. Pertwee<br />
was an unpretentious-look<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g gentleman, who had an<br />
unostentatious office <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> third floor. He showed me a picture<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> water-colours of <strong>the</strong> Rogue fly<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g before <strong>the</strong> w<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>d. The<br />
deck was at an angle of 95 to <strong>the</strong> ocean. In <strong>the</strong> picture no human<br />
be<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gs were represented <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> deck; I suppose <strong>the</strong>y had<br />
slipped off. Indeed, I do not see how any<strong>on</strong>e could have kept<br />
<strong>on</strong>, unless nailed. I po<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ted out this disadvantage to <strong>the</strong> agent,<br />
who, however, expla<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ed to me that <strong>the</strong> picture represented <strong>the</strong><br />
Rogue doubl<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g someth<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g or o<strong>the</strong>r <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> well-known occasi<strong>on</strong><br />
of her w<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>n<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <strong>the</strong> Medway Challenge Shield. Mr. Pertwee<br />
assumed that I knew all about <strong>the</strong> event, so that I did not like<br />
to ask any questi<strong>on</strong>s. Two specks near <strong>the</strong> frame of <strong>the</strong> picture,<br />
which at first I had taken for moths, represented, it appeared,<br />
<strong>the</strong> sec<strong>on</strong>d and third w<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ners <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> this celebrated race. A photograph<br />
of <strong>the</strong> yacht at anchor off Gravesend was less impressive,<br />
but suggested more stability. All answers to my <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>quiries be<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
satisfactory, I took <strong>the</strong> th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g for a fortnight. Mr. Pertwee said it<br />
was fortunate I wanted it <strong>on</strong>ly for a fortnight — later <strong>on</strong> I came