Трое в лодке не считая собаки

           "Hi!stopaminute,willyou?"heshoutscheerily. "I’vedroppedmyhatover-board." 

           Then:"Hi!Tom—Dick!can’tyouhear?"notquitesoaffablythistime. 

           Then:"Hi!Confoundyou,youdunder-headedidiots!Hi!stop!Ohyou—!" 

           Afterthathespringsup,anddancesabout,androarshimselfredintheface,andcurseseverythingheknows. Andthesmallboysonthebankstopandjeerathim,andpitchstonesathimasheispulledalongpastthem,attherateoffourmilesanhour,andcan’tgetout. 

           Muchofthissortoftroublewouldbesavedifthosewhoaretowingwouldkeeprememberingthattheyaretowing,andgiveaprettyfrequentlookroundtoseehowtheirmanisgettingon. Itisbesttoletonepersontow. Whentwoaredoingit,theygetchattering,andforget,andtheboatitself,offering,asitdoes,butlittleresistance,isofnorealserviceinremindingthemofthefact. 

           Asanexampleofhowutterlyobliviousapairoftowerscanbetotheirwork,Georgetoldus,lateronintheevening,whenwewerediscussingthesubjectaftersupper,ofaverycuriousinstance. 

           Heandthreeothermen,sohesaid,werescullingaveryheavilyladenboatupfromMaidenheadoneevening,andalittleaboveCookhamlocktheynoticedafellowandagirl,walkingalongthetowpath,bothdeepinanapparentlyinterestingandabsorbingconversation. Theywerecarryingaboat-hookbetweenthem,and,attachedtotheboat-hookwasatow-line,whichtrailedbehindthem,itsendinthewater.