Трое в лодке не считая собаки

           Ofcourse,itsentranceisstuddedwithpostsandchains,andsurroundedwithnoticeboards,menacingallkindsoftorture,imprisonment,anddeathtoeveryonewhodaressetsculluponitswaters —Iwondersomeoftheseriparianboorsdon’tclaimtheairoftheriverandthreateneveryonewithfortyshillingsfinewhobreathesit —butthepostsandchainsalittleskillwilleasilyavoid;andasfortheboards,youmight,ifyouhavefiveminutestospare,andthereisnobodyabout,takeoneortwoofthemdownandthrowthemintotheriver. 

           Half-wayupthebackwater,wegotoutandlunched; anditwasduringthislunchthatGeorgeandIreceivedratheratryingshock. 

           Harrisreceivedashock,too;butIdonotthinkHarris’sshockcouldhavebeenanythinglikesobadastheshockthatGeorgeandIhadoverthebusiness. 

           Yousee,itwasinthisway: weweresittinginameadow,abouttenyardsfromthewater’sedge,andwehadjustsettleddowncomfortablytofeed. Harrishadthebeefsteakpiebetweenhisknees,andwascarvingit,andGeorgeandIwerewaitingwithourplatesready. 

           "Haveyougotaspoonthere?"saysHarris;"Iwantaspoontohelpthegravywith." 

           Thehamperwasclosebehindus,andGeorgeandIbothturnedroundtoreachoneout. Wewerenotfivesecondsgettingit. Whenwelookedroundagain,Harrisandthepieweregone! 

           Itwasawide,openfield. Therewasnotatreeorabitofhedgeforhundredsofyards.