Троє в човні крім собаки
Chapter 15
Plainpracticalrowingoftheget-the-boat-alongorderisnotaverydifficultarttoacquire,butittakesagooddealofpracticebeforeamanfeelscomfortable,whenrowingpastgirls. Itisthe"time"thatworriesayoungster. "It’sjollyfunny,"hesays,asforthetwentiethtimewithinfiveminuteshedisentangleshisscullsfromyours;"IcangetonallrightwhenI’mbymyself!"
Toseetwonovicestrytokeeptimewithoneanotherisveryamusing. Bowfindsitimpossibletokeeppacewithstroke,becausestrokerowsinsuchanextraordinaryfashion. Strokeisintenselyindignantatthis,andexplainsthatwhathehasbeenendeavouringtodoforthelasttenminutesistoadapthismethodtobow’slimitedcapacity. Bow,inturn,thenbecomesinsulted,andrequestsstrokenottotroublehisheadabouthim(bow),buttodevotehismindtosettingasensiblestroke.
"Or,shallItakestroke?"headds,withtheevidentideathatthatwouldatonceputthewholematterright.
Theysplashalongforanotherhundredyardswithstillmoderatesuccess,andthenthewholesecretoftheirtroubleburstsuponstrokelikeaflashofinspiration.
"Itellyouwhatitis:you’vegotmysculls,"hecries,turningtobow;"passyoursover."
"Well,doyouknow,I’vebeenwonderinghowitwasIcouldn’tgetonwiththese,"answersbow,quitebrighteningup,andmostwillinglyassistingintheexchange. "nowweshallbeallright."