且說白玉堂縱身上船，那船就是一晃，漁翁連忙用篙撐住，道：「客官好不曉事。此船乃捕魚小船，俗名划子，你如何用猛力一趁。幸虧我用篙撐住；不然，連我也就翻下水去了。好生的荒唐呀！」白玉堂原有心事，恐被人追上，難以脫身；幸得此船肯渡，他雖然叨叨數落，卻也毫不介意。那漁翁慢慢的搖起船來，撐到江心，卻不動了。便發話道：「大清早起的，總要發個利市。再者俗語說的是，「船家不打過河錢」。客官有酒資拿出來，老漢方好渡你過去。」白玉堂道：「老丈，你只管渡我過去，我是不失信的。」漁翁道：「難，難，難，難！口說無憑，多少總要憑信的。」白玉堂暗道：「叵耐這廝可惡！偏我來的倉猝，並未帶得銀兩。──也罷，且將我這件襯襖脫下給他。幸得裡面還有一件舊襯襖，尚可遮體。候渡到那面，再作道理。」想罷，只得脫下襯襖，道：「老丈，此衣足可典當幾貫錢鈔，難道你還不憑信麼？」漁翁接過抖開來，看道：「這件衣服，若是典當了，可以比捕魚有些利息了。客官休怪，這是我們船家的規矩。」
且说白玉堂纵身上船，那船就是一晃，渔翁连忙用篙撑住，道：「客官好不晓事。此船乃捕鱼小船，俗名划子，你如何用猛力一趁。幸亏我用篙撑住；不然，连我也就翻下水去了。好生的荒唐呀！」白玉堂原有心事，恐被人追上，难以脱身；幸得此船肯渡，他虽然叨叨数落，却也毫不介意。那渔翁慢慢的摇起船来，撑到江心，却不动了。便发话道：「大清早起的，总要发个利市。再者俗语说的是，「船家不打过河钱」。客官有酒资拿出来，老汉方好渡你过去。」白玉堂道：「老丈，你只管渡我过去，我是不失信的。」渔翁道：「难，难，难，难！口说无凭，多少总要凭信的。」白玉堂暗道：「叵耐这厮可恶！偏我来的仓猝，并未带得银两。──也罢，且将我这件衬袄脱下给他。幸得里面还有一件旧衬袄，尚可遮体。候渡到那面，再作道理。」想罢，只得脱下衬袄，道：「老丈，此衣足可典当几贯钱钞，难道你还不凭信么？」渔翁接过抖开来，看道：「这件衣服，若是典当了，可以比捕鱼有些利息了。客官休怪，这是我们船家的规矩。」
Now, Bai Yutang sprang onto the boat, and it gave a lurch. The old fisherman quickly braced it with his pole. “Have you no sense, sir? This is a little fishing boat — a skiff, as folk call it. How can you come jumping on with all your weight like that? Lucky I braced her with the pole, or I’d have gone over into the water myself. What a crazy thing to do!” Bai Yutang had troubles of his own: he was afraid of being overtaken and unable to get away. Since this boat was willing to ferry him, he paid no mind at all to the old man’s grumbling. The old fisherman sculled slowly out, and when he reached the middle of the river he stopped and went no further. “First thing in the morning,” he said, “a man has to make his first bit of luck for the day. And there’s a saying besides: ‘A boatman takes no fare for a crossing already made.’ If you’ve money for a drink, sir, out with it, and then this old man can take you across.” “Old fellow,” said Bai Yutang, “just take me across. I don’t go back on my word.” “No, no, no, no!” said the fisherman. “Talk’s no proof. Big or small, I need something to go on.” “Damn the rascal!” thought Bai Yutang. “And I came away in such a hurry I didn’t bring any silver. — Well, so be it. I’ll take off this under-jacket and give it to him. Luckily I still have an old one on underneath to keep me decent. Once I’m across, I’ll think again.” So he had no choice but to take off his under-jacket. “Old fellow,” he said, “this would pawn for a good few strings of cash. Surely you’ll trust me now?” The fisherman took it, shook it out and looked it over. “Pawn this coat,” he said, “and I’d make more on it than on my fishing. Don’t take it amiss, sir. It’s the rule with us boatmen.”
正說間，忽見那邊飛也似的趕了一隻漁船來，口中說道：「好呀！清早發利市，見者有分。須要沽酒請我的。」說話間，船已臨近。這邊的漁翁道：「甚麼大利市，不過是件衣服。你看看，可典多少錢鈔？」說罷，便將衣服擲過。那漁人將衣服抖開一看，道：「別管典當多少，足彀你我喝酒了。老兄，你還不口頭饞麼？」漁翁道：「我正在思飲，咱們且吃酒去。」只聽嗖的一聲，已然跳到那邊船上。那邊漁人將篙一支，登時飛也似的去了。
正说间，忽见那边飞也似的赶了一只渔船来，口中说道：「好呀！清早发利市，见者有分。须要沽酒请我的。」说话间，船已临近。这边的渔翁道：「甚么大利市，不过是件衣服。你看看，可典多少钱钞？」说罢，便将衣服掷过。那渔人将衣服抖开一看，道：「别管典当多少，足彀你我喝酒了。老兄，你还不口头馋么？」渔翁道：「我正在思饮，咱们且吃酒去。」只听嗖的一声，已然跳到那边船上。那边渔人将篙一支，登时飞也似的去了。
Just then another fishing boat came racing up from over the way as if it flew, and the man in it called out, “Well, well! Early-morning luck — whoever sees it gets a share. You’ll have to stand me a drink!” As he spoke, his boat drew alongside. “What great luck?” said the old fisherman on this side. “It’s only a coat. Have a look — what do you reckon it’ll pawn for?” With that he tossed the coat across. The other fisherman shook it out and looked. “Never mind what it pawns for — it’s plenty for you and me to drink on. Old brother, isn’t your mouth watering yet?” “I was just wanting a drink,” said the old fisherman. “Let’s go and have some wine.” There was a whoosh, and he had already leaped onto the other boat. The other fisherman pushed off with his pole, and in an instant they were gone as if they flew.
白玉堂見他們去了，白白的失去衣服，無奈何，自己將篙拿起來撐船。可煞作怪，那船不往前走，只是在江心打轉兒。不多會，白玉堂累得通身是汗，喘吁不止。自己發恨道：「當初與其練那獨龍橋的，何不下工夫練這漁船呢？今日也不至於受他的氣了。」正在抱怨，忽見小小艙內出來一人，頭戴斗笠，猛將斗笠摘下，道：「五弟久違了！世上無有十全的人，也沒有十全的事，你抱怨怎的？」白玉堂一看，卻是蔣平，穿著水靠，不由得氣衝宵漢，一聲怪叫道：「噯喲，好病夫！那個是你五弟？」蔣爺道：「哥哥是病夫，好稱呼呀。這也罷了。──當初叫你練練船隻，你總以為這沒要緊，必要練那出奇的頑意兒。到如今，你那獨龍橋那裡去了？」白玉堂順手就是一篙，蔣平他就順手落下水去。白玉堂猛然醒悟，道：「不好，不好！他善識水性，我白玉堂必被他暗算。」兩眼盡往水中注視。再將篙撥船時，動也不動，只急得他兩手紮煞。
白玉堂见他们去了，白白的失去衣服，无奈何，自己将篙拿起来撑船。可煞作怪，那船不往前走，只是在江心打转儿。不多会，白玉堂累得通身是汗，喘吁不止。自己发恨道：「当初与其练那独龙桥的，何不下工夫练这渔船呢？今日也不至于受他的气了。」正在抱怨，忽见小小舱内出来一人，头戴斗笠，猛将斗笠摘下，道：「五弟久违了！世上无有十全的人，也没有十全的事，你抱怨怎的？」白玉堂一看，却是蒋平，穿着水靠，不由得气冲宵汉，一声怪叫道：「嗳哟，好病夫！那个是你五弟？」蒋爷道：「哥哥是病夫，好称呼呀。这也罢了。──当初叫你练练船只，你总以为这没要紧，必要练那出奇的顽意儿。到如今，你那独龙桥那里去了？」白玉堂顺手就是一篙，蒋平他就顺手落下水去。白玉堂猛然醒悟，道：「不好，不好！他善识水性，我白玉堂必被他暗算。」两眼尽往水中注视。再将篙拨船时，动也不动，只急得他两手扎煞。
Bai Yutang watched them go, his coat lost for nothing. There was no help for it: he took up the pole himself and began to punt. But here was a strange thing — the boat would not go forward; it only spun round and round in the middle of the river. Before long Bai Yutang was sweating all over and panting without stop. “When I was practising on that Dulong Bridge,” he raged at himself, “why didn’t I put the work into handling a fishing boat instead? Then I wouldn’t be taking this from him today.” He was still grumbling when out of the tiny cabin came a man in a bamboo hat. He pulled off the hat with a jerk. “Fifth Brother, it’s been a long time! No man in the world is perfect, and nothing in the world goes perfectly either. What are you grumbling about?” Bai Yutang looked: it was Jiang Ping, in a water suit. His fury shot up to the clouds, and he let out a strange howl. “Aiya! You sickly wretch! Who’s your Fifth Brother?” “So your elder brother’s a sickly wretch — what a fine way to address me!” said Jiang Ping. “Well, let it go. — Back then I told you to practise handling boats, but you always thought it didn’t matter; you had to practise some freakish trick instead. And now, where’s that Dulong Bridge of yours got to?” Bai Yutang swung the pole straight at him, and Jiang Ping obligingly toppled into the water with the blow. Then all at once Bai Yutang woke up to it. “This is bad, this is bad! He’s at home in the water. I, Bai Yutang, am bound to fall into his trap.” He fixed both eyes on the water. When he tried to push the boat with the pole again, it would not budge at all, and in his panic he could only spread his hands helplessly.