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Three Men in a Boat / Three Men on the Bummel

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— 378 —<br />

She pushed open <strong>the</strong> door, and Mrs. X, went <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>. The next<br />

moment she came out with a white, scared face.<br />

“It isn’t Percy,” she said. “Whatever am I to do?”<br />

“I wish you wouldn’t make <strong>the</strong>se mistakes,” said Mrs. Y.,<br />

mov<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g to enter <strong>the</strong> room herself.<br />

Mrs. X. stopped her. “And it isn’t your husband ei<strong>the</strong>r.”<br />

“N<strong>on</strong>sense,” said Mrs. Y.<br />

“It isn’t really,” persisted Mrs. X. “I know, because I have just<br />

left him, asleep <strong>on</strong> Percy’s bed.”<br />

“What’s he do<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <strong>the</strong>re?” thundered Mrs. Y.<br />

“They brought him <strong>the</strong>re, and put him <strong>the</strong>re,” expla<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ed<br />

Mrs. X., 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 cry. “That’s what made me th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>k Percy<br />

must be here.”<br />

The two women stood and looked at <strong>on</strong>e ano<strong>the</strong>r; and <strong>the</strong>re<br />

was silence for awhile, broken <strong>on</strong>ly by <strong>the</strong> snor<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g of <strong>the</strong> gentleman<br />

<strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r side of <strong>the</strong> half-open door.<br />

“Then who is that, <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong>re?” demanded Mrs. Y., who was<br />

<strong>the</strong> first to recover herself.<br />

“I d<strong>on</strong>’t know,” answered Mrs. X., “I have never seen him<br />

before. Do you th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>k it is anybody you know?”<br />

But Mrs. Y. <strong>on</strong>ly banged to <strong>the</strong> door.<br />

“What are we to do?” said Mrs. X.<br />

“I know what I am go<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g to do,” said Mrs. Y. “I’m com<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />

back with you to fetch my husband.”<br />

“He’s very sleepy,” expla<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ed Mrs. X.<br />

“I’ve known him to be that before,” replied Mrs. Y., as she<br />

fastened <strong>on</strong> her cloak.<br />

“But where’s Percy?” sobbed poor little Mrs. X., as <strong>the</strong>y descended<br />

<strong>the</strong> stairs toge<strong>the</strong>r.<br />

“That my dear,” said Mrs. Y., “will be a questi<strong>on</strong> for you to<br />

ask him.”<br />

“If <strong>the</strong>y go about mak<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g mistakes like this,” said Mrs. X., “it<br />

is impossible to say what <strong>the</strong>y may not have d<strong>on</strong>e with him.”<br />

“We will make enquiries <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> morn<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g, my dear,” said Mrs.<br />

Y., c<strong>on</strong>sol<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gly.

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