"
"For others?"
"No, for a canal-boat."
"This country may be flat," thought Tristram; "but decidedly the
travelling is not monotonous."
As he drew near the lantern, he saw indeed that they were on the edge
of a canal, wherein lay a long black barge, with a boy on horseback
waiting on the tow-path, a little ahead of it. On the barge's deck
by the tiller an immensely fat boatman leant and smoked his pipe,
which he withdrew placidly from his lips as Captain Salt gave the
password to the man with the lantern and handed over the smoking
horses.
"_Modena!_"
The fat man spat, stood upright and prepared for business as the
passengers stumbled on board. Not a word more was spoken until
Tristram found himself in a long, low cabin divided into two parts by
a deal partition. By the light of a swinging lamp he saw that a
bench ran along the after-compartment, and asked if he might stretch
himself out to sleep.
"By all means," said his father. "I was going to propose it myself.
We shall travel without halting till morning."
"Then 'good night.'"
"You appear in a hurry."
"It seems to me that it's my turn."
The barge was hardly in motion before Tristram began to snore.
Nor did he awake till the sun was up and shining in through the
little opening by the stern, through which he could see the legs of
the fat steersman on deck.
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