Трое в лодке не считая собаки

           Whenitbegantosplutterandsteam,heregardeditasachallenge,andwouldwanttofightit,only,atthatprecisemoment,someonewouldalwaysdashupandbearoffhispreybeforehecouldgetatit. 

           To-dayhedeterminedhewouldbebeforehand. Atthefirstsoundthekettlemade,herose,growling,andadvancedtowardsitinathreateningattitude. Itwasonlyalittlekettle,butitwasfullofpluck,anditupandspitathim. 

           "Ah!wouldye!"growledMontmorency,showinghisteeth;"I’llteachyetocheekahard-working,respectabledog; yemiserable,long-nosed,dirty-lookingscoundrel,ye. Comeon!" 

           Andherushedatthatpoorlittlekettle,andseizeditbythespout. 

           Then,acrosstheeveningstillness,brokeablood-curdlingyelp,andMontmorencylefttheboat, anddidaconstitutionalthreetimesroundtheislandattherateofthirty-fivemilesanhour,stoppingeverynowandthentoburyhisnoseinabitofcoolmud. 

           FromthatdayMontmorencyregardedthekettlewithamixtureofawe,suspicion,andhate. Wheneverhesawithewouldgrowlandbackatarapidrate,withhistailshutdown,andthemomentitwasputuponthestovehewouldpromptlyclimboutoftheboat,andsitonthebank,tillthewholeteabusinesswasover. 

           Georgegotouthisbanjoaftersupper,andwantedtoplayit,butHarrisobjected:hesaidhehadgotaheadache,anddidnotfeelstrongenoughtostandit.