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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— 207 —<br />
“They work better for you,” said Mr. Goyles; “and <strong>the</strong>y come<br />
aga<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>.”<br />
Pers<strong>on</strong>ally, I didn’t feel I wanted <strong>the</strong>m to come aga<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>. I was<br />
beg<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>n<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g to take a dislike to <strong>the</strong>m before I had seen <strong>the</strong>m; I<br />
regarded <strong>the</strong>m as a greedy and guzzl<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g crew. But Mr. Goyles<br />
was so cheerfully emphatic, and I was so <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>experienced, that<br />
aga<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> I let him have his way. He also promised that even <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
this department he would see to it pers<strong>on</strong>ally that noth<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g was<br />
wasted.<br />
I also left him to engage <strong>the</strong> crew. He said he could do <strong>the</strong><br />
th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g, and would, for me, with <strong>the</strong> help two men and a boy. If<br />
he was allud<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g to <strong>the</strong> clear<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g up of <strong>the</strong> victuals and dr<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>k, I<br />
th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>k he was mak<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g an under-estimate; but possibly he may<br />
have been speak<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g of <strong>the</strong> sail<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g of <strong>the</strong> yacht.<br />
I called at my tailors <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> way home and ordered a yacht<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
suit, with a white hat, which <strong>the</strong>y promised to bustle up<br />
and have ready <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> time; and <strong>the</strong>n I went home and told E<strong>the</strong>lbertha<br />
all I had d<strong>on</strong>e. Her delight was clouded by <strong>on</strong>ly <strong>on</strong>e<br />
reflecti<strong>on</strong> — would <strong>the</strong> dressmaker be able to f<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ish a yacht<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
costume for her <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> time? That is so like a woman.<br />
Our h<strong>on</strong>eymo<strong>on</strong>, which had taken place not very l<strong>on</strong>g before,<br />
had been somewhat curtailed, so we decided we would<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>vite nobody, but have <strong>the</strong> yacht to ourselves. And thankful<br />
I am to Heaven that we did so decide. On M<strong>on</strong>day we put <strong>on</strong><br />
all our clo<strong>the</strong>s and started. I forget what E<strong>the</strong>lbertha wore, but,<br />
whatever it may have been, it looked very fetch<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g. My own<br />
costume was a dark blue trimmed with a narrow white braid,<br />
which, I th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>k, was ra<strong>the</strong>r effective.<br />
Mr. Goyles met us <strong>on</strong> deck, and told us that lunch was<br />
ready. I must admit Goyles had secured <strong>the</strong> services of a very<br />
fair cook. The capabilities of <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r members of <strong>the</strong> crew I<br />
had no opportunity of judg<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g. Speak<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g of <strong>the</strong>m <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> a state of<br />
rest, however, I can say of <strong>the</strong>m <strong>the</strong>y appeared to be a cheerful<br />
crew.<br />
My idea had been that so so<strong>on</strong> as <strong>the</strong> men had f<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ished<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir d<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ner we would weigh anchor, while I, smok<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g a cigar,