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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We would f<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>d <strong>the</strong> hammer for him, and <strong>the</strong>n he would have<br />
lost sight of <strong>the</strong> mark he had made <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> wall, where <strong>the</strong> nail<br />
was to go <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>, and each of us had to get up <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> chair, beside<br />
him, and see if we could f<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>d it; and we would each discover<br />
it <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> a different place, and he would call us all fools, <strong>on</strong>e after<br />
ano<strong>the</strong>r, and tell us to get down. And he would take <strong>the</strong> rule,<br />
and re-measure, and f<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>d that he wanted half thirty-<strong>on</strong>e and<br />
three-eighths <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ches from <strong>the</strong> corner, and would try to do it <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
his head, and go mad.<br />
And we would all try to do it <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> our heads, and all arrive<br />
at different results, and sneer at <strong>on</strong>e ano<strong>the</strong>r. And <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> general<br />
row, <strong>the</strong> orig<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>al number would be forgotten, and Uncle<br />
Podger would have to measure it aga<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>.<br />
He would use a bit of str<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g this time, and at <strong>the</strong> critical moment,<br />
when <strong>the</strong> old fool was lean<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g over <strong>the</strong> chair at an angle<br />
of forty-five, and try<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g to reach a po<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>t three <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ches bey<strong>on</strong>d<br />
what was possible for him to reach, <strong>the</strong> str<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g would slip, and<br />
down he would slide <strong>on</strong> to <strong>the</strong> piano, a really f<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>e musical effect<br />
be<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g produced by <strong>the</strong> suddenness with which his head<br />
and body struck all <strong>the</strong> notes at <strong>the</strong> same time.<br />
And Aunt Maria would say that she would not allow <strong>the</strong><br />
children to stand round and hear such language.<br />
At last, Uncle Podger would get <strong>the</strong> spot fixed aga<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>, and<br />
put <strong>the</strong> po<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>t of <strong>the</strong> nail <strong>on</strong> it with his left hand, and take <strong>the</strong><br />
hammer <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> his right hand. And, with <strong>the</strong> first blow, he would<br />
smash his thumb, and drop <strong>the</strong> hammer, with a yell, <strong>on</strong> somebody’s<br />
toes.<br />
Aunt Maria would mildly observe that, next time Uncle<br />
Podger was go<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g to hammer a nail <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>to <strong>the</strong> wall, she hoped<br />
he’d let her know <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> time, so that she could make arrangements<br />
to go and spend a week with her mo<strong>the</strong>r while it was be<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
d<strong>on</strong>e.<br />
“Oh! you women, you make such a fuss over everyth<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g,”<br />
Uncle Podger would reply, pick<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g himself up. “Why, I like do<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
a little job of this sort.”<br />
And <strong>the</strong>n he would have ano<strong>the</strong>r try, and, at <strong>the</strong> sec<strong>on</strong>d