"By Jove (вот тебе на/Боже милостивый)! old J.'s gone in (старина Джей /все-таки/ вошел в воду)," I heard Harris say, as I came blowing to the surface (услышал я, как сказал Гаррис, когда всплыл, отдуваясь, на поверхность; to blow — дуть; пыхтеть, тяжело дышать). "I didn't think he'd have the pluck to do it (я не думал, что у него хватит храбрости сделать это; pluck — дерганье, рывок; смелость, отвага). Did you (а ты)?"

knife [naf] tremendous [tr'mends]

I did not altogether like to give in, though I did not relish the plunge. There might be snags about, or weeds, I thought. I meant to compromise matters by going down to the edge and just throwing the water over myself; so I took a towel and crept out on the bank and wormed my way along on to the branch of a tree that dipped down into the water.

It was bitterly cold. The wind cut like a knife. I thought I would not throw the water over myself after all. I would go back into the boat and dress; and I turned to do so; and, as I turned, the silly branch gave way, and I and the towel went in together with a tremendous splash, and I was out mid-stream with a gallon of Thames water inside me before I knew what had happened.

"By Jove! old J.'s gone in," I heard Harris say, as I came blowing to the surface. "I didn't think he'd have the pluck to do it. Did you?"

"Is it all right (ну как, хорошо)?" sung out George (крикнул Джордж; to sing out).

"Lovely (чудесно)," I spluttered back (ответил я, отплевываясь; to splutter — говорить быстро и бессвязно, лопотать; фыркать, шипеть). "You are duffers not to come in (вы глупцы, что не пошли /в воду/). I wouldn't have missed this for worlds (я бы ни за что на свете не пропустил этого = не отказался от этого). Why won't you try it (почему бы вам не попробовать)? It only wants a little determination (для этого лишь нужно немного решительности)."

But I could not persuade them (но я не смог их убедить).