ever. But the boys carried the day
by promising faithfully that they would catch neither malady. The
looked-for day came at last, and to Oxford they went, where the familiar
sight of Wraysford, in boating costume, at the railway station still
further elated their high spirits. The boat was ready. The tent, the
provender, the blankets, were snugly stowed away on board. The weather
was fine, the river was charming, everything promised well; and
punctually that Monday afternoon the three adventurers loosed from their
moorings and turned the nose of their boat towards London.

I wish I could tell the reader all the events of that wonderful voyage:
how they paddled down merrily with the stream; how they found their
desert island covered with nettles, which they had to mow down with
their oars; how the soup-kettle wouldn't act, and the stew-pan leaked;
how grand the potted lobster tasted; how Stephen offered to make tea
with muddy water, and how the paraffin oil of their lanterns leaked all
over their plum-cake and sandwiches; how Stephen was sent up inland to
forage, and came back with wonderful purchases of eggs and milk; how
they started off one day leaving their tent behind them, and had to row
back in a panic to recover it; how it rained one night, and a puddle
formed on the roof of the tent, which presently grew so big that it
overflowed and gave Wraysford a shower-bath; how each morning they all
took headers into the stream, much to the alarm of the sleepy ducks; how
they now and then ran foul of a boat, and now and then were turned off
their camping ground by an indignant keeper! It was glorious fun. But
it would take a volume to recount all that happened to them.

They were coming near the end of their cruise. They had paddled down
past the magnificent woods of Cliveden, and under the pretty bridge of
Maidenhead; they had watched the boys bathing at "Athens," and they had
rowed through the gloomy shadow of Windsor Castle and on past Eton.

Here the river is broken by a string of islands, which in many parts
make the stream narrow; and the river being full of boats and barges,
our three adventurers found themselves called upon to exercise more than
ordinary precautions in keeping their course. This responsibility
became at last so irksome that Oliver said, "I say, can't we get out of
this rabble anyhow? Why shouldn't we take the other side of the
islands?"

"I don't know. It would be a good deal quieter.