Троє в човні крім собаки
Chapter 15
IagreedwithHarristhatIneverhad—mostcertainlynotsincewehadstartedonthistrip.
"Well,Idon’tseehowyoucanknowmuchaboutit,onewayortheother,"GeorgeretortedonHarris;"forI’mblestifyouhaven’tbeenasleephalfthetime. HaveyoueverseenHarrisfullyawake,exceptatmeal-time?"askedGeorge,addressingme.
TruthcompelledmetosupportGeorge. Harrishadbeenverylittlegoodintheboat,sofarashelpingwasconcerned,fromthebeginning.
"Well,hangitall,I’vedonemorethanoldJ.,anyhow,"rejoinedHarris.
"Well,youcouldn’tverywellhavedoneless,"addedGeorge.
"IsupposeJ.thinksheisthepassenger,"continuedHarris.
AndthatwastheirgratitudetomeforhavingbroughtthemandtheirwretchedoldboatallthewayupfromKingston,andforhavingsuperintendedandmanagedeverythingforthem,andtakencareofthem,andslavedforthem. Itisthewayoftheworld.
WesettledthepresentdifficultybyarrangingthatHarrisandGeorgeshouldsculluppastReading,andthatIshouldtowtheboatonfromthere. Pullingaheavyboatagainstastrongstreamhasfewattractionsformenow. Therewasatime,longago,whenIusedtoclamourforthehardwork:nowIliketogivetheyoungstersachance.
Inoticethatmostoftheoldriverhandsaresimilarlyretiring,wheneverthereisanystiffpullingtobedone.