WereachedSunburyLockathalfpastthree.WethenwenttoWalton,whichisahistoricaltown.JuliusCaesarstayedtherewithhissoldiers.QueenElizabethIstayedthere,too.Youcanneverescapefromthatwoman.Shewaseverywhere!
NextwecametoHallifordandShepperton.ThereisatombintheSheppertonchurchyardwithapoemonit.IwasafraidHarriswantedtostopandvisitit.Isawhimlookingatthechurch,aswepassednearit,soImovedtheboatsuddenly,andHarris’scapfellintothewater.Hepulleditoutandwasangrywithme.Fortunately,hewasworriedabouthiswetcapandforgotaboutthechurch.
AswecametoWeybridge,thefirstthingwesawwasacolouredblazer.Whenwegotcloser,wesawthatGeorgewasinsidetheblazer.Montmorencystartedbarkingfuriously.
HarrisandIshoutedloudly.Georgewavedhiscapandshouted,too.Thelock-keeperIranout,becausehethoughtsomeonehadfallenintothewater.Whenhesawthatnoonewasinthewater,hereturnedtohiswork.
Harris,whoisalittlecruel,said,‘Nowyou’regoingtohaveabaddayontheriver.Achangeisgoodforyou.It’shealthy!Comeon!GetoutoftheboatandTOW!’
Georgedidn’tknowwhattosay.Afteramoment,hesaid,‘It’sbetterifIstayhereandpreparetea.It’sverydifficulttopreparetea,andyoulooktired.’
IrememberthatGeorgeoncesawayoungcouplewhowerewalkingbythesideoftheriver.Theywerepullingaropebehindthem,andtheyweretalking.Theydidn’tnoticethattherewasnoboatattheendoftherope.Theyhadprobablyhadaboatattheendoftheropewhentheystarted.Buttheyhadlostit.
WhenGeorgesawthis,hetooktheropeoutofthewater.Thenhetiedittohisownboat.So,theyoungcoupletowedGeorgeandhisthreefatfriendsuptoMarlow.Whentheylookedback,theysawthattheyweretowingaboatthatwasnottheirs.Theyoungmanwassurprisedandangry.Theyoungladysaid,‘Oh,Henry,whereisAuntMary?’
Themostexcitingthingistoletgirlstowyourboat.Youalwaysneedthreegirls.Twoofthemholdtherope.Thethirdonerunsaroundandlaughsallthetime.
Whentheyarefinallyreadytopull,theystartrunning.Theypulltheboattoofast,andtheyaresoontired.Theysitdownonthegrasstorestandlaugh.Whiletheyrest,yourboatgoesoutintothemiddleoftheriver.‘Oh,look,’theysay,‘theboat’sgonetothemiddleoftheriver!’
Theylaugh,jumpupandstartpullingitagain.Thenoneofthemdecidestostop,becausesheneedsherhat.Thenanotherwantsherredshawl.INowoneofthemneedsacombforherhair.Theotherwantsherhandkerchief.Thisgoesonformostoftheafternoon.Itisneverboringwhenthreegirlstowaboat.
GeorgetowedustoPentonHook.Westoppedthereanddecidedtospendthenightontheboat.Wefoundaprettyplace.Wetiedourboattoabigtree.
Wewereallhungryandwewantedtoeat.However,Georgesaid,‘No,let’sputthecanvascoverontheboatfirst.Itwillonlytakeafewminutes.’
Itlookedsimple,butitwasn’t.Therewerefivemetalrods.Youputthemintospecialholesinthesideoftheboat.Ididn’tthinkthiswasdangerouswork,butitwas.I’msurprisedthatwearestillalivetotellthestory.
Firstofall,themetalrodsdidnotgointotheirholes.Wejumpedonthem,kickedthemandpushedthem.Whentherodswereintheirholes,wetriedtoputthecanvascoverontheboat.
Georgetookonepartofthecover.Hetieditatthefrontoftheboat.HarrisstoodinthemiddletohelpGeorgewiththecover.Georgedidhisjobwell,butHarriswascompletelyconfused.
Aftertenminutesofhardwork,Harriswasinsidethecover!Hewasfightingtogetout.HeaccidentallyknockedGeorgedown.NowGeorgewasinsidethecover,too.Theyfoughtwiththecover.Iheardsomeverybadwords.Ithoughtthejobmustbeverydifficult.
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