TheNeckarisinmanyplacessonarrowthatapersoncanthrowadogacrossit, ifhehasone;whenitisalsosharplycurvedinsuchplaces, -whichisasmuchasthirty, andsometimesfortyyardswide-butissplitintothreeequalbodiesofwater, bystonedikeswhichthrowthemainvolume, depth, -edgeddikesprojectfourorfiveinchesabovethesurface, likethecombofasubmergedroof, , andabasketfulproducesanoverflow.
TherearedikesabreasttheSchlossHotel, , watchingthelong, narrowraftsslipalongthroughthecentralchannel, grazingtheright-bankdikeandaimingcarefullyforthemiddlearchofthestonebridgebelow;Iwatchedtheminthisway, andlostallthistimehopingtoseeoneofthemhitthebridge-pierandwreckitselfsometimeorother, , butIhadjuststeppedintomyroomamomenttolightapipe, soIlostit.
WhileIwaslookingdownupontheraftsthatmorninginHeilbronn, thedaredevilspiritofadventurecamesuddenlyuponme, andIsaidtomycomrades:
“?”
Theirfacespaledalittle, -thoughtithisdutytodothat, ashewasallshehadinthisworld-so, whileheattendedtothis, Iwentdowntothelongestandfinestraftandhailedthecaptainwithahearty“Ahoy, shipmate!”whichputusuponpleasanttermsatonce, , , whospokeGermanverywell, , butItalkitbestthroughaninterpreter.
Thecaptainhitcheduphistrousers, -thathehadnolicensetocarrypassengers, .
Witharattlingsongthestarboardwatchbenttotheirworkandhovethecableshort, thengottheanchorhome, andourbarkmovedoffwithastatelystride, andsoonwasbowlingalongatabouttwoknotsanhour.
