Троє в човні крім собаки
Chapter 10
Itsaid:
"Giveusahandhere,can’tyou,youcuckoo;standingtherelikeastuffedmummy,whenyouseewearebothbeingsuffocated,youdummy!"
Inevercouldwithstandanappealforhelp,soIwentandundidthem;notbeforeitwastime,either,forHarriswasnearlyblackintheface.
Ittookushalfanhour’shardlabour,afterthat,beforeitwasproperlyup,andthenweclearedthedecks,andgotoutsupper. Weputthekettleontoboil,upinthenoseoftheboat,andwentdowntothesternandpretendedtotakenonoticeofit,butsettoworktogettheotherthingsout.
Thatistheonlywaytogetakettletoboiluptheriver. Ifitseesthatyouarewaitingforitandareanxious,itwillneverevensing. Youhavetogoawayandbeginyourmeal,asifyouwerenotgoingtohaveanyteaatall. Youmustnotevenlookroundatit. Thenyouwillsoonhearitsputteringaway,madtobemadeintotea.
Itisagoodplan,too,ifyouareinagreathurry,totalkveryloudlytoeachotherabouthowyoudon’tneedanytea,andarenotgoingtohaveany. Yougetnearthekettle,sothatitcanoverhearyou,andthenyoushoutout,"Idon’twantanytea;doyou,George?" towhichGeorgeshoutsback,"Oh,no,Idon’tliketea;we’llhavelemonadeinstead—tea’ssoindigestible." Uponwhichthekettleboilsover,andputsthestoveout.
Weadoptedthisharmlessbitoftrickery,andtheresultwasthat,bythetimeeverythingelsewasready,theteawaswaiting.