I found I had all my work before me to get accustomed to my new duties
before the day of the race. Daily I was out with the four, and several
times besides I was taken over the course in a punt, and carefully shown
all the shallows, and bends, and eddies of the stream, and made familiar
with the ins and outs of either bank.

Luckily, I was a light weight to begin with, so that I did not lose much
by my limited period of training, being indeed not so heavy as the
former coxswain of the boat, whom I had succeeded.

Well, the eventful day came at last. The Old Boys arrived the day
before, and from the two trial rows which they took over the course, we
could see they were a first-rate crew and formidable opponents. Still
our "coach," who had watched them minutely, told us we had the better
stroke of the two, and if we could only hold out, ought to win after
all. This was comforting information, for the showy style of our
opponents had struck terror into not a few of those whose sympathies
were on the side of the present boys.

The school turned out in force to witness the event. The towing-path
was lined with spectators, many of them from a distance, attracted by
the prospect of an exciting race. A goodly muster of old fellows
revisited the haunts of their school days, and congregated about the
winning-post, while others, of a more athletic turn, prepared to run
along with the race from beginning to end.

Meanwhile, in the boat-house, we had stripped for action and launched
our boat. As we were ready to put off, and make for the starting-point,
Mr Blunt came up and said to Blades, our "stroke",--

"Now remember, row a steady stroke all through. Don't be flurried if
they get the best of the start. If you can stick to them the first half
of the way, you ought to be able to row them down in the last; and mind,
Adams," he said, addressing me, "don't let them force you out of your
straight course, and don't waste time in trying to bother them. Keep as
straight as an arrow, and you can't go wrong."

As our fellows put off for the starting-place, their long clean stroke
elicited no little admiration from the onlookers, who saw much in it
that augured well for the success of our boat. Thanks to Mr Blunt, our
crew had learned to master that steady, strong sweep of the oars which
is universally admitted to be the perfection of rowing style and the
most serviceable of all strokes. Rowed well through from first to