his shoulder.

None of the other three owned the soft impeachment, and the boat seemed
to right itself of its own accord.

Fairbairn, whose temper was never improved by perplexities, quickened
his stroke, and gave his men a spell of hard work for a bit to punish
them.

This seemed to have a good effect, and once again the onlookers were
startled to see how steadily and fast the boat was travelling. But once
again the mysterious disturbance interrupted their progress.

This time Fairbairn stopped short, and turning round demanded angrily
who it was who was playing the fool, for an effect like this could only
be put down to such a course. Porter, Coates, and Gilks all repudiated
the suggestion, and once more, amid the ironical cheers of the
onlookers, Fairbairn resumed his work and lashed viciously out with his
oar.

This last protest of his seemed to have had the desired effect, for
during the rest of the journey up to the Willows the boat travelled
fairly well, though it was evident plenty of work was needed before the
crew could be considered in proper racing trim. But no sooner had they
turned and started for the home journey than once again the rolling
suddenly became manifest. Fairbairn rowed on a stroke or two without
apparently noticing it, then turning sharply round in the middle of a
stroke he discovered the reason.

The blade of Gilks's oar was about a foot under the surface, and he
himself was lurching over his seat, with the handle of the oar up to
about his chin.

"What on earth do you mean by it?" demanded Fairbairn, angrily.

"Mean by what?" asked Gilks.

"By playing the fool like that; that's what I mean," retorted Fairbairn.

"Who was playing the fool?" snarled Gilks. "How can I help catching a
crab when he's constantly turning the boat's head in the middle of a
stroke?"

"All rot!" said Fairbairn.

"All very well for you at stroke," said Gilks, viciously. "You come and
row bow and see if you don't feel it. I'd like to know who could keep
his oar straight with such steering."

"If you'd row half as well as he steers," said Fairbairn, "you'd row a
precious sight better than you do! You'd better take care, Gilks."

"Take care of what, you fool?" demanded Gilks, whose temper was now
fairly gone.

"Ready all, you fellows!" cried Fairbairn, stretching forward.

This brief conversation had been heard only by those in the boat, but
its purport had been gathered by those on the bank