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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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— 212 —<br />

had <strong>the</strong> satisfacti<strong>on</strong> of “do<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g” Capta<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> Goyles. I left <strong>the</strong> Rogue<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> charge of a local mar<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>er, who, for a couple of sovereigns,<br />

undertook to see to its return to Harwich; and we came back<br />

to L<strong>on</strong>d<strong>on</strong> by tra<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>. There may be yachts o<strong>the</strong>r than <strong>the</strong> Rogue,<br />

and skippers o<strong>the</strong>r than Mr. Goyles, but that experience has<br />

prejudiced me aga<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>st both.<br />

George also thought a yacht would be a good deal of resp<strong>on</strong>sibility,<br />

so we dismissed <strong>the</strong> idea.<br />

“What about <strong>the</strong> river?” suggested Harris.<br />

“We have had some pleasant times <strong>on</strong> that.”<br />

George pulled <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> silence at his cigar, and I cracked ano<strong>the</strong>r<br />

nut.<br />

“The river is not what it used to be,” said I; “I d<strong>on</strong>’t know<br />

what, but <strong>the</strong>re’s a someth<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g — a dampness — about <strong>the</strong> river<br />

air that always starts my lumbago.”<br />

“It’s <strong>the</strong> same with me,” said George. “I d<strong>on</strong>’t know how it is,<br />

but I never can sleep now <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> neighbourhood of <strong>the</strong> river. I<br />

spent a week at Joe’s place <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> spr<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g, and every night I woke<br />

up at seven o’clock and never got a w<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>k afterwards.”<br />

“I merely suggested it,” observed Harris. “Pers<strong>on</strong>ally, I d<strong>on</strong>’t<br />

th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>k it good for me, ei<strong>the</strong>r; it touches my gout.”<br />

“What suits me best,” I said, “is mounta<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> air. What say you<br />

to a walk<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g tour <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> Scotland?”<br />

“It’s always wet <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> Scotland,” said George. “I was three weeks<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> Scotland <strong>the</strong> year before last, and was never dry <strong>on</strong>ce all <strong>the</strong><br />

time — not <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> that sense.”<br />

“It’s f<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>e enough <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> Switzerland,” said Harris.<br />

“They would never stand our go<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g to Switzerland by ourselves,”<br />

I objected. “You know what happened last time. It must<br />

be some place where no delicately nurtured woman or child<br />

could possibly live; a country of bad hotels and comfortless<br />

travell<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g; where we shall have to rough it, to work hard, to<br />

starve perhaps —”<br />

“Easy!” <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>terrupted George, “easy, <strong>the</strong>re! D<strong>on</strong>’t forget I’m<br />

com<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g with you.”<br />

“I have it!” exclaimed Harris; “a bicycle tour!”

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