dy, and don't hurry. Do it in about the time the stroke oarsman
gives you."

Frank gave the commands again, beginning with "Up oars!" till the
oarsmen had shipped their oars; and it was very well done, and Uncle
Ben actually praised the crew.

"The next command is 'Give way together!'" said the old sailor. "You
will take the time from the stroke oar, and pull with it all the time."

Fred Harper was the aftermost rower; and the instructor asked him to
vacate his seat, which Ben took himself, with the oar in his hands.

"Now carry the handle of the oar forward to easy arm's length towards
the starn," continued Ben, suiting the action to the word; and all
followed his example. "Drop the end of the oar into the water till the
blade is just covered, no deeper. Then pause a bit, and pull the
handle towards you to your breasts, or very nearly there."

The crew followed the instructions, and imitated the old seaman till
they had taken their first stroke. These movements were repeated
several times, till they could do them well. Then they began again with
Frank giving the commands, and they went through the whole till they
could do everything to the satisfaction of the teacher.

"Now, bowman, you may weigh the anchor," said Uncle Ben; and the hearts
of the boys beat rapidly, for the time for actual rowing had come.

Tony Weston hauled in the grapnel, and stowed it in the fore-sheets.

"Up oars!" commanded Frank, rising from his seat; and all the oars were
elevated in good order, though not quite perfect. "Let fall!" he
continued; and this movement was very well done, and all shipped their
oars. "Give way together!"

The boat began to move, and the motion seemed to perplex some of the
oarsmen. A few of them appeared to be trying to touch bottom, and on
the second stroke they were in a snarl.

"Avast, all!" shouted Uncle Ben. "This won't do! Some of you act as
though you were spearing eels. You are not to bury your oar in the
water above the blade at any time. You must keep the flat part of the
oar up and down in the water always. If you turn it in pulling, the
blade will shoot up into the air, or dive down towards the bottom."

Then he practised them for a full half-hour on this step, and finally
brought them up to a very handsome stroke. Then Frank gave the commands
again, and they pulled passably well. Directing the coxswain to head
the Zephyr up the lake, Ben gave his attention to individuals, pointing
out their fa