Троє в човні крім собаки

           Hector—Ithinkthatwashisname—wentonpullingwhileIunrolledthesail. Itseemedacomplicatedjob,butIaccomplisheditatlength,andthencamethequestion,whichwasthetopend? 

           Byasortofnaturalinstinct,we,ofcourse,eventuallydecidedthatthebottomwasthetop,andsettoworktofixitupside-down. Butitwasalongtimebeforewecouldgetitup,eitherthatwayoranyotherway. Theimpressiononthemindofthesailseemedtobethatwewereplayingatfunerals,andthatIwasthecorpseanditselfwasthewinding-sheet. 

           Whenitfoundthatthiswasnottheidea,ithitmeovertheheadwiththeboom,andrefusedtodoanything. 

           "Wetit,"saidHector;"dropitoverandgetitwet." 

           Hesaidpeopleinshipsalwayswettedthesailsbeforetheyputthemup. SoIwettedit;butthatonlymademattersworsethantheywerebefore. Adrysailclingingtoyourlegsandwrappingitselfroundyourheadisnotpleasant,but,whenthesailissoppingwet,itbecomesquitevexing. 

           Wedidgetthethingupatlast,thetwoofustogether. Wefixedit,notexactlyupsidedown—moresidewayslike—andwetiedituptothemastwiththepainter,whichwecutoffforthepurpose. 

           ThattheboatdidnotupsetIsimplystateasafact. WhyitdidnotupsetIamunabletoofferanyreason. Ihaveoftenthoughtaboutthemattersince,butIhaveneversucceededinarrivingatanysatisfactoryexplanationofthephenomenon.