English
Thereweredishes,cups,bottles,pans,tomatoes,cakesandmanyotherthingstopackinthehampers.
AssoonasGeorgeandHarrisstartedpacking,theybrokeacup.And,thiswasjustthebeginning!Georgeistheworstpackerintheworld.WhenGeorgedies,Harriswillbetheworstpackerintheworld.
Theywalkedonthingsandbrokethem.HarrisputabigjarofjamontopofatomatoandcrushedIit.Georgesteppedonabigpacketofbutter,andHarrissatonit.Soontherewasbuttereverywhere.Theypackedthepiesinthehamper.Thentheyputheavythingsontopofthem.Thepieswerecrushed,justlikethetomato.
Inthemiddleofallofthis,therewasMontmorency,ofcourse.Heputhisleginthesugar,andsoontherewassugareverywhere.Heranawaywiththeteaspoons.Hepretendedthatthelemonswererats,andkilledthreeofthem!ThiswasMontmorency’sideaoffun.
Atoneinthemorning,thepackingwasfinished.Wewerereadyforbed.
Georgesaid,‘WhattimeshallIwakeyouup?’
Harrissaid,‘Seveno’clock.’
Isaid,‘Sixo’clock.’
‘Wakeusupathalfpastsix,George,’wesaid.
ItwasMrsPoppets,whowokemeupthenextmorning.‘Doyouknowthatit’snearlynineo’clock?’
‘What!’Ishouted,asIjumpedoutofbed.IwokeupHarrisandGeorge.Webegantogetready,andwerememberedthatwehadpackedourtoothbrushes.Sowewenttogetthemoutofthesuitcase.Thiswasnotaneasyjob.
Atlast,wewerereadytoeatbreakfast.Whileweatebreakfast,Georgereadthenewspaper.Hetoldusaboutthepeoplekilledontheriver,andaboutthebadweatherreport.
Georgewenttowork,andHarrisandIfinishedourbreakfast.Thatmorning,Montmorencyinvitedtwoofhisfriendstothehouse.Theyfoughtmostofthetime.
Whenwewerefinallyready,wecarriedourluggagetotheroad.Wewaitedtwentyminutesforataxi.Taxisusuallycomeeverythreeminutes.
Acrowdofpeoplewaswatchingus.Theylookedatus,atMontmorency,andatMontmorency’sfriends.Theylookedatallourluggage:abigsuitcase,asmallbag,twobighampers,somepans,someumbrellas,fivecoatsandraincoats.
AtWaterlooStation,wetookthe11:05traintoKingston.At
Kingston,ourboatwaswaitingforusbelowthebridge.HarrisandIputourluggageinit.Wegotontheboathappily,butMontmorencywasworried.Harristooktheoarsandwestartedourtwo-weektripontheRiverThames.
Harriswaswearingaredandorangeblazer.Itwasabeautiful,sunnyday.Wewereenjoyingthefirstmomentsofourholiday.
WhenwepassedHamptonCourtPalace,Harrisasked,‘Haveyouevervisitedthemazehere?’Hesaidhehadgoneintothemazeoncetoshowafriend.Hestudiedamapofthemazebeforegoingin.Heknewitwasveryeasytogetoutagain.
Harrissaidtohisfriend,‘We’llgoinandwalkaroundfortenminutes.Thenwe’llcomeoutandhavelunch.It’sveryeasy.Takethefirstturntotherighteachtime.’
Inthemaze,theymetsomepeoplewhohadbeenthereforforty-fiveminutes.Theywantedtogetoutbecausetheywerelost.Harrissaid,‘Followme!I’mgoingoutintenminutes.’Thepeoplethankedhimandstartedfollowinghim.OtherpeoplebeganfollowingHarris,too.Someofthemwereworriedandafraid.Hecontinuedturningtotheright,buthewasstillinthemaze.
Harrisgotlost!Thepeoplewereangrywithhim.Theyallstartedcallingforhelp.Ayoungkeeper4heardthemandcametohelp.But,hegotlost,too!Finally,theoldkeepercamebackfromlunch.Heletthepeopleout.Everyonewastiredandangry.
Harrissaid,‘Let’saskGeorgetotrythemaze,onourreturntrip.’
‘Notabadidea,’Isaid.
WhenwepassedMoleseyLock,weweretheonlyboatinthebiglock.Usually,thelockisaverybusyplace.OnSundays,thereareboatseverywhere.Peopleliketheriverandthesun.It’ssuchabeautifulpicture–theriver,thetrees,theflowersandthepeople,intheircolourfulclothes.
AtHampton,Harriswantedtostoptheboatandhavealookatthechurch.Idon’tlikevisitingchurches,butHarrislovesit.
‘IcameonthetriponlybecauseIwantedtovisitHamptonChurch.Youknow,Ilovechurches,churchyardsandtombs.TheideaofnotseeingHamptonChurch,withMrsThomas’stomb,makesmeangry.’
‘WhoisMrsThomas?’Iasked.
‘Idon’tknow,butshehasastrangetomb.’
Isaid,‘WemustbeatSheppertonatfiveo’clocktomeetGeorge.’
Harrissaid,‘George!Whycan’tGeorgebeheretodosomework?Whydoesn’thehelpuswiththisheavyboat?Whatdoeshedoatthebank?Hesitsbehindapieceofglassalldayanddoesnothing.Iwork!Whydoesn’thework?I’mgoingtohaveadrink!’
‘Therearenopubsnearhere.Thenearestpubisfaraway,’Isaid.
‘What!We’llalldieofthirst.Nopubs!’
‘Ifyou’rethirsty,wehavewaterintheboat.’Isaid.
‘Water!Watermakespeopleill!’hesaid.‘However,IamverythirstyandImustdrinksomething.’Sohetookthebottleanddranksomewater.
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