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account of it。 The swans had tried to drag him and Montmorency out of
the boat and drown them； and he had defended himself like a hero for four
hours； and had killed the lot； and they had all paddled away to die。
〃How many swans did you say there were？〃 asked George。
〃Thirty…two；〃 replied Harris； sleepily。
〃You said eighteen just now；〃 said George。
〃No； I didn't；〃 grunted Harris； 〃I said twelve。 Think I can't count？〃
What were the real facts about these swans we never found out。 We
questioned Harris on the subject in the morning； and he said； 〃What
swans？〃 and seemed to think that George and I had been dreaming。
Oh； how delightful it was to be safe in the boat； after our trials and
fears！ We ate a hearty supper； George and I； and we should have had some
toddy after it； if we could have found the whisky； but we could not。 We
examined Harris as to what he had done with it； but he did not seem to
know what we meant by 〃whisky；〃 or what we were talking about at all。
Montmorency looked as if he knew something； but said nothing。
I slept well that night； and should have slept better if it had not been
for Harris。 I have a vague recollection of having been woke up at least
a dozen times during the night by Harris wandering about the boat with
the lantern； looking for his clothes。 He seemed to be worrying about his
clothes all night。
Twice he routed up George and myself to see if we were lying on his
trousers。 George got quite wild the second time。
〃What the thunder do you want your trousers for； in the middle of the
night？〃 he asked indignantly。 〃Why don't you lie down； and go to sleep？〃
I found him in trouble； the next time I awoke； because he could not find
his socks； and my last hazy remembrance is of being rolled over on my
side； and of hearing Harris muttering something about its being an
extraordinary thing where his umbrella could have got to。
CHAPTER XV。
HOUSEHOLD DUTIES。 … LOVE OF WORK。 … THE OLD RIVER HAND； WHAT HE DOES AND
WHAT HE TELLS YOU HE HAS DONE。 … SCEPTICISM OF THE NEW GENERATION。 …
EARLY BOATING RECOLLECTIONS。 … RAFTING。 … GEORGE DOES THE THING IN STYLE。
… THE OLD BOATMAN； HIS METHOD。 … SO CALM； SO FULL OF PEACE。 … THE
BEGINNER。 … PUNTING。 … A SAD ACCIDENT。 … PLEASURES OF FRIENDSHIP。 …
SAILING； MY FIRST EXPERIENCE。 … POSSIBLE REASON WHY WE WERE NOT DROWNED。
WE woke late the next morning； and； at Harris's earnest desire； partook
of a plain breakfast； with 〃non dainties。〃 Then we cleaned up； and put
everything straight （a continual labour； which was beginning to afford me
a pretty clear insight into a question that had often posed me … namely；
how a woman with the work of only one house on her hands manages to pass
away her time）； and； at about ten； set out on what we had determined
should be a good day's journey。
We agreed that we would pull this morning； as a change from towing； and
Harris thought the best arrangement would be that George and I should
scull； and he steer。 I did not chime in with this idea at all； I said I
thought Harris would have been showing a more proper spirit if he had
suggested that he and George should work； and let me rest a bit。 It
seemed to me that I was doing more than my fair share of the work on this
trip； and I was beginning to feel strongly on the subject。
It always does seem to me that I am doing more work than I should do。 It
is not that I object to the work； mind you； I like work： it fascinates
me。 I can sit and look at it for hours。 I love to keep it by me： the
idea of getting rid of it nearly breaks my heart。
You cannot give me too much work； to accumulate work has almost become a
passion with me： my study is so full of it now； that there is hardly an
inch of room for any more。 I shall have to throw out a wing soon。
And I am careful of my work； too。 Why； some of the work that I have by
me now has been in my possession for years and years； and there isn't a
finger…mark on it。 I take a great pride in my work； I take it down now
and then and dust it。 No man keeps his work in a better state of
preservation than I do。
But； though I crave for work； I still like to be fair。 I do not ask for
more than my proper share。
But I get it without asking for it … at least； so it appears to me … and
this worries me。
George says he does not think I need trouble myself on the subject。 He
thinks it is only my over…scrupulous nature that makes me fear I am
having more than my due； and that； as a matter of fact； I don't have half
as much as I ought。 But I expect he only says this to comfort me。
In a boat； I have always noticed that it is the fixed idea of each member
of the crew that he is doing everything。 Harris's notion was； that it
was he alone who had been working； and that both George and I had been
imposing upon him。 George； on the other hand； ridiculed the idea of
Harris's having done anything more than eat and sleep； and had a cast…
iron opinion that it was he … George himself … who had done all the
labour worth speaking of。
He said he had never been out with such a couple of lazily skulks as
Harris and I。
That amused Harris。
〃Fancy old George talking about work！〃 he laughed； 〃why； about half…an…
hour of it would kill him。 Have you ever seen George work？〃 he added；
turning to me。
I agreed with Harris that I never had … most certainly not since we had
started on this trip。
〃Well； I don't see how YOU can know much about it； one way or the other；〃
George retorted on Harris； 〃for I'm blest if you haven't been asleep half
the time。 Have you ever seen Harris fully awake； except at meal…time？〃
asked George； addressing me。
Truth compelled me to support George。 Harris had been very little good
in the boat； so far as helping was concerned； from the beginning。
〃Well； hang it all； I've done more than old J。； anyhow；〃 rejoined Harris。
〃Well； you couldn't very well have done less；〃 added George。
〃I suppose J。 thinks he is the passenger；〃 continued Harris。
And that was their gratitude to me for having brought them and their
wretched old boat all the way up from Kingston； and for having
superintended and managed everything for them； and taken care of them；
and slaved for them。 It is the way of the world。
We settled the present difficulty by arranging that Harris and George
should scull up past Reading； and that I should tow the boat on from
there。 Pulling a heavy boat against a strong stream has few attractions
for me now。 There was a time； long ago； when I used to clamour for the
hard work： now I like to give the youngsters a chance。
I notice that most of the old river hands are similarly retiring；
whenever there is any stiff pulling to be done。 You can always tell the
old river hand by the way in which he stretches himself out upon the
cushions at the bottom of the boat； and encourages the rowers by telling
them anecdotes about the marvellous feats he performed last season。
〃Call what you're doing hard work！〃 he drawls； between his contented
whiffs； addressing the two perspiring novices； who have been grinding
away steadily up stream for the last hour and a half； 〃why； Jim Biffles
and Jack and I； last season； pulled up from Marlow to Goring in one
afternoon … never stopped once。 Do you remember that； Jack？〃
Jack； who has made himself a bed up in the prow of all the rugs and coats
he can collect； and who has been lying there asleep for the last two
hours； partially wakes up on being thus appealed to； and recollects all
about the matter； and also remembers that there was an unusually strong
stream against them all the way … likewise a stiff wind。
〃About thirty…four miles； I suppose； it must have been；〃 adds the first
speaker； reaching down another cushion to put under his head。
〃 No … no； don't exaggerate； Tom；〃 murmurs Jack； reprovingly； 〃thirty…
three at the outside。〃
And Jack and Tom； quite exhausted by this conversational effort； drop off
to sleep once more。 And the two simple…minded youngsters at the sculls
feel quite proud of being allowed to row such wonderful oarsmen as Jack
and Tom； and strain away harder than ever。
When I was a young man； I used to listen to these tales from my elders；
and take them in； and swallow them； and digest every word of them； and
then come up for more； but the new generation do not seem to have the
simple faith of the old times。 We … George； Harris； and myself … took a
〃raw'un〃 up with us once last season； and we plied him with the customary
stretchers about the wonderful things we had done all the way up。
We gave him all the regular ones … the time…honoured lies that have done
duty up the river with every boating…man for years past … and added seven
entirely original ones that we had invente