Троє в човні крім собаки

           ThenheandeightothergentlemenofaboutthesameagewentdowninabodytoKewoneSaturday,withtheideaofhiringaboatthere,andpullingtoRichmondandback; oneoftheirnumber,ashock-headedyouth,namedJoskins,whohadonceortwicetakenoutaboatontheSerpentine,toldthemitwasjollyfun,boating! 

           Thetidewasrunningoutprettyrapidlywhentheyreachedthelanding-stage,andtherewasastiffbreezeblowingacrosstheriver,butthisdidnottroublethematall,andtheyproceededtoselecttheirboat. 

           Therewasaneight-oaredracingoutriggerdrawnuponthestage;thatwastheonethattooktheirfancy. Theysaidthey’dhavethatone,please. Theboatmanwasaway,andonlyhisboywasincharge. Theboytriedtodamptheirardourfortheoutrigger,andshowedthemtwoorthreeverycomfortable-lookingboatsofthefamily-partybuild,butthosewouldnotdoatall; theoutriggerwastheboattheythoughttheywouldlookbestin. 

           Sotheboylaunchedit,andtheytookofftheircoatsandpreparedtotaketheirseats. TheboysuggestedthatGeorge,who,eveninthosedays,wasalwaystheheavymanofanyparty,shouldbenumberfour. Georgesaidheshouldbehappytobenumberfour,andpromptlysteppedintobow’splace,andsatdownwithhisbacktothestern. Theygothimintohisproperpositionatlast,andthentheothersfollowed. 

           Aparticularlynervousboywasappointedcox,andthesteeringprincipleexplainedtohimbyJoskins. Joskinshimselftookstroke.