The African Queen Page #5

And when it's smooth and flat

like that over there,

- does that mean a rock, Mr. Allnut?

- Rock or hippo, miss.

But don't go bumping into no hippo.

Makes them awful mad.

This boat's only big enough

for the two of us.

- What was the matter, Mr. Allnut?

- Feed pump's full of scum and rust.

She gets clogged up.

Kicking her starts her to working again.

I gotta act fast, 'cause one of my boys

dropped a screwdriver

down the safety valve.

What would happen

if you didn't kick her?

Whole boiler would blow up.

But if we're going

downstream, Mr. Allnut,

why do we need the engine at all?

Boat's got to go faster than the water

or you can't steer.

If I was to let the engine die

going down the rapids, we'd be goners.

- Mr. Allnut?

- Yes, miss?

Why don't you dismantle

the safety valve

and remove the screwdriver?

You know, I'm going

to do that one of these days.

The only reason I ain't done it up to now

is that I kind of like kicking her.

She's all I've got.

It's kind of hot work, ain't it, miss?

I could do with a drink.

Excuse me, miss.

- You going to have one, miss?

- No.

- What is it?

- Gin, miss.

- Something the matter, miss?

- No.

How'd you like a nice cup of tea?

I'd like a cup of tea.

Course, it'll taste a little rusty,

but then

we can't have everything, can we?

There you are.

I'll get this out of the way.

- Sugar, miss?

- Thank you.

Don't mention it.

- Have a bit of supper, miss?

- It's too hot to eat.

- How long you been out here, miss?

- About 10 years.

And what part of England

do you come from?

- The Midlands.

- It sounds pretty, anyway.

Yes, it is. It's very pretty.

Ever get homesick?

It's Sunday afternoons I think of most.

The peace and the quiet.

On Sunday afternoons,

I was always sleeping one off.

- This is very, very good.

- Yes, it isn't half bad, is it?

- What brought you to Africa, Mr. Allnut?

- The Zambezi Bridge, miss.

A whole boatload of us Canucks

came over to work on it.

Don't know yet

what they wanted a bridge for,

both sides of the river being the same,

but why does a chicken cross the road?

- I beg your pardon?

- Nothing, miss.

Sometimes I wish

I was back rubbing elbows, as they say.

You know, there's nothing

like the jostle and the noise

and the music of a Saturday night

for cheering a fellow up.

The rest of the week

I'd be taking orders from somebody.

Out here, I'm my own boss.

Anyway, I was, until...

You didn't see any crocodiles

in this arm, did you, miss?

Crocodiles? No.

There's no shallows for them.

The current's too swift.

I could do with a bath before I turn in.

I'd like a bath myself.

Well, then, I'll just go up in the bow

and hang off the anchor chain.

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