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Three Men in a Boat / Three Men on the Bummel

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— 42 —<br />

to show me how to do it. I made no comment; I <strong>on</strong>ly waited.<br />

When George is hanged, Harris will be <strong>the</strong> worst packer <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> this<br />

world; and I looked at <strong>the</strong> piles of plates and cups, and kettles,<br />

and bottles and jars, and pies, and stoves, and cakes, and tomatoes,<br />

&c., and felt that <strong>the</strong> th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g would so<strong>on</strong> become excit<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g.<br />

It did. They started with break<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g a cup. That was <strong>the</strong> first<br />

th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <strong>the</strong>y did. They did that just to show you what <strong>the</strong>y could<br />

do, and to get you <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>terested.<br />

Then Harris packed <strong>the</strong> strawberry jam <strong>on</strong> top of a tomato<br />

and squashed it, and <strong>the</strong>y had to pick out <strong>the</strong> tomato with a<br />

teaspo<strong>on</strong>.<br />

And <strong>the</strong>n it was George’s turn, and he trod <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> butter. I<br />

didn’t say anyth<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g, but I came over and sat <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> edge of <strong>the</strong><br />

table and watched <strong>the</strong>m. It irritated <strong>the</strong>m more than anyth<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />

I could have said. I felt that. It made <strong>the</strong>m nervous and excited,<br />

and <strong>the</strong>y stepped <strong>on</strong> th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gs, and put th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gs beh<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>d <strong>the</strong>m, and<br />

<strong>the</strong>n couldn’t f<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>d <strong>the</strong>m when <strong>the</strong>y wanted <strong>the</strong>m; and <strong>the</strong>y<br />

packed <strong>the</strong> pies at <strong>the</strong> bottom, and put heavy th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gs <strong>on</strong> top,<br />

and smashed <strong>the</strong> pies <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>.<br />

They upset salt over everyth<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g, and as for <strong>the</strong> butter! I<br />

never saw two men do more with <strong>on</strong>e-and-twopence worth of<br />

butter <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> my whole life than <strong>the</strong>y did. After George had got it<br />

off his slipper, <strong>the</strong>y tried to put it <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> kettle. It wouldn’t go<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>, and what was <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> wouldn’t come out. They did scrape it out<br />

at last, and put it down <strong>on</strong> a chair, and Harris sat <strong>on</strong> it, and it<br />

stuck to him, and <strong>the</strong>y went look<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g for it all over <strong>the</strong> room.<br />

“I’ll take my oath I put it down <strong>on</strong> that chair,” said George,<br />

star<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g at <strong>the</strong> empty seat.<br />

“I saw you do it myself, not a m<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ute ago,” said Harris.<br />

Then <strong>the</strong>y started round <strong>the</strong> room aga<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> look<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g for it; and<br />

<strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong>y met aga<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> centre, and stared at <strong>on</strong>e ano<strong>the</strong>r.<br />

“Most extraord<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ary th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g I ever heard of,” said George.<br />

“So mysterious!” said Harris.<br />

Then George got round at <strong>the</strong> back of Harris and saw it.<br />

“Why, here it is all <strong>the</strong> time,” he exclaimed, <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>dignantly.<br />

“Where?” cried Harris, sp<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>n<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g round.

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