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Chapter 15
Hetoldtheothersthatitwassimpleenough;alltheyhadtodowastofollowhim.
Theysaidtheywereready,andtheboyonthelandingstagetookaboat-hookandshovedhimoff.
WhatthenfollowedGeorgeisunabletodescribeindetail. Hehasaconfusedrecollectionofhaving,immediatelyonstarting,receivedaviolentblowinthesmallofthebackfromthebutt-endofnumberfive’sscull,atthesametimethathisownseatseemedtodisappearfromunderhimbymagic,andleavehimsittingontheboards. Healsonoticed,asacuriouscircumstance,thatnumbertwowasatthesameinstantlyingonhisbackatthebottomoftheboat,withhislegsintheair,apparentlyinafit.
TheypassedunderKewBridge,broadside,attherateofeightmilesanhour. Joskinsbeingtheonlyonewhowasrowing. George,onrecoveringhisseat,triedtohelphim,but,ondippinghisoarintothewater,itimmediately,tohisintensesurprise,disappearedundertheboat,andnearlytookhimwithit.
Andthen"cox"threwbothrudderlinesover-board,andburstintotears.
HowtheygotbackGeorgeneverknew,butittookthemjustfortyminutes. AdensecrowdwatchedtheentertainmentfromKewBridgewithmuchinterest,andeverybodyshoutedouttothemdifferentdirections. Threetimestheymanagedtogettheboatbackthroughthearch,andthreetimestheywerecarriedunderitagain,andeverytime"cox"lookedupandsawthebridgeabovehimhebrokeoutintorenewedsobs.