"The most ordinary circumstances turn hilarious as J., an idler who exhibits a 'general disinclination to work of any kind,' his friends journey up the Thames River. Getting into many scrapes along the way, the friends consider 'assulting a policeman' just to have 'a night's lodging in the station-house,' but ultimately reject the proposition, fearful that he would hit them back without locking them up. The real scene stealer, though, is Montmorence, a small fox terrier who appears to be 'born with about four times as much original sin in [him] as other dogs are.'" --From back cover.