Троє в човні крім собаки

           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.