"There's Bisham!" said Bubbles, as they passed the grey old abbey. "Where Shelley wrote his 'Revolt of Islam' floating in a boat under the beeches."
"Begad, I hope he had a lady with him!" said Pat, gaily; "there's nothing stirs imagination like a pretty girl."
"Your imagination is quite vivid enough already," said Carmela.
"There's Marlow Church and Marlow Bridge," observed Bubbles, still in the character of guide book.
"Where the bargees ate puppy pie," put in Ryan; "but here we are at Shaw's--shall we go on shore or stop in the boat?"
Both ladies preferred to go on shore, so, after making the boat fast among all the other crafts, Pat and Bubbles put on their coats, and handed the ladies out. Sir Mark's boat was nowhere to be seen, whereupon Pat proposed to go over to the Anglers' Hotel, and see what was doing there.
"I believe you want to drink," said Kate, severely, as they walked over the bridge.
"And small shame to me," retorted the undaunted Pat; "haven't I rowed ye down under a blazing sun?"
"I suppose you must be rewarded," said Carmela, with a smile; so Pat and Bubbles, nothing loth, went into the quaint inn, which bears the sign of the Anglers, and had two tankards of foaming beer.
"Xerxes wanted a new pleasure," said Bubbles, when he had finished. "I'd have given him a thirsty day on the river with a pot of beer handy."