Трое в лодке не считая собаки

           Plainpracticalrowingoftheget-the-boat-alongorderisnotaverydifficultarttoacquire,butittakesagooddealofpracticebeforeamanfeelscomfortable,whenrowingpastgirls. Itisthe"time"thatworriesayoungster. "It’sjollyfunny,"hesays,asforthetwentiethtimewithinfiveminuteshedisentangleshisscullsfromyours;"IcangetonallrightwhenI’mbymyself!" 

           Toseetwonovicestrytokeeptimewithoneanotherisveryamusing. Bowfindsitimpossibletokeeppacewithstroke,becausestrokerowsinsuchanextraordinaryfashion. Strokeisintenselyindignantatthis,andexplainsthatwhathehasbeenendeavouringtodoforthelasttenminutesistoadapthismethodtobow’slimitedcapacity. Bow,inturn,thenbecomesinsulted,andrequestsstrokenottotroublehisheadabouthim(bow),buttodevotehismindtosettingasensiblestroke. 

           "Or,shallItakestroke?"headds,withtheevidentideathatthatwouldatonceputthewholematterright. 

           Theysplashalongforanotherhundredyardswithstillmoderatesuccess,andthenthewholesecretoftheirtroubleburstsuponstrokelikeaflashofinspiration. 

           "Itellyouwhatitis:you’vegotmysculls,"hecries,turningtobow;"passyoursover." 

           "Well,doyouknow,I’vebeenwonderinghowitwasIcouldn’tgetonwiththese,"answersbow,quitebrighteningup,andmostwillinglyassistingintheexchange. "nowweshallbeallright."