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The Pursuit of the House-Boat by John Kendrick Bangs
page 30 of 127 (23%)
most of her time trying to double the Cape of Good Hope."

"My whale is in commission," said Jonah, with dignity. "But Baron
Munchausen need not consider the question of taking a state-room
aboard of her. She doesn't carry second-class passengers. And if I
took any stock in the idea of a trip on the Flying Dutchman amounting
to a seven years' exile, I would cheerfully pay the Baron's expenses
for a round trip."

"We are losing time, gentlemen," suggested Sherlock Holmes. "This is
a moment, I think, when you should lay aside personal differences and
personal preferences for immediate action. I have examined the wake
of the House-boat, and I judge from the condition of what, for want
of a better term, I may call the suds, when she left us the House-
boat was making ten knots a day. Almost any craft we can find
suitably manned ought to be able to do better than that; and if you
could summon Charon and ascertain what boats he has at hand, it would
be for the good of all concerned."

"That's a good plan," said Johnson. "Boswell, see if you can find
Charon."

"I am here already, sir," returned the ferryman, rising. "Most of my
boats have gone into winter quarters, your Honor. The Mayflower went
into dry dock last week to be calked up; the Pinta and the Santa
Maria are slow and cranky; the Monitor and the Merrimac I haven't
really had time to patch up; and the Valkyrie is two months overdue.
I cannot make up my mind whether she is lost or kept back by
excursion steamers. Hence I really don't know what I can lend you.
Any of these boat I have named you could have had for nothing; but my
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