Now the boat was close, Lucy could make out the details of the colourful decorations. Bright flowers and swirling patterns covered the sides of the cabin, which extended about fifteen feet ahead of the cockpit. Buckets and pots painted with the same patterns were displayed on the spotless cabin roof. M.V. & J.N. Jones was painted in an arc on a panel at the rear of the cabin, and a series of low box-like structures covered with tarpaulins filled the deck ahead.
As soon as the water in the lock was level with that upstream the man opened the upper gates, slipped the ropes off the bollards and jumped aboard the boat. He coiled the ropes, placed them neatly on the deck then leapt back to the lock side.
‘Need everything ship shape. The missus can’t stand an untidy boat,’ he said to Adam and
