Трое в лодке не считая собаки
Chapter 15
Youcanalwaystelltheoldriverhandbythewayinwhichhestretcheshimselfoutuponthecushionsatthebottomoftheboat,andencouragestherowersbytellingthemanecdotesaboutthemarvellousfeatsheperformedlastseason.
"Callwhatyou’redoinghardwork!"hedrawls,betweenhiscontentedwhiffs,addressingthetwoperspiringnovices,whohavebeengrindingawaysteadilyupstreamforthelasthourandahalf; "why,JimBifflesandJackandI,lastseason,pulledupfromMarlowtoGoringinoneafternoon—neverstoppedonce. Doyourememberthat,Jack?"
Jack,whohasmadehimselfabedupintheprowofalltherugsandcoatshecancollect,andwhohasbeenlyingthereasleepforthelasttwohours,partiallywakesuponbeingthusappealedto,andrecollectsallaboutthematter,andalsoremembersthattherewasanunusuallystrongstreamagainstthemalltheway—likewiseastiffwind.
"Aboutthirty-fourmiles,Isuppose,itmusthavebeen,"addsthefirstspeaker,reachingdownanothercushiontoputunderhishead.
"No—no;don’texaggerate,Tom,"murmursJack,reprovingly; "thirty-threeattheoutside."
AndJackandTom,quiteexhaustedbythisconversationaleffort,dropofftosleeponcemore. Andthetwosimple-mindedyoungstersatthescullsfeelquiteproudofbeingallowedtorowsuchwonderfuloarsmenasJackandTom,andstrainawayharderthanever.