pull the whole length of the lake; but Frank, prompted by Ben, had
slowed them down to the measured stroke of the cutter of a man-of-war.

"Stand by to lay on your oars!" said the coxswain, when the boat was
approaching the mouth of the river. "Oars!"

The crew instantly levelled their oars, feathering the blades. Not one
of them was permitted to touch the water. This manoeuvre was executed
quite as well as the others had been, and the boys were praised without
stint by the venerable instructor.

"Give way!" said Frank, always prompted by the old sailor at his side
in a low tone, so that most of the oarsmen believed that the coxswain
acted on his own responsibility.

"Stand by to toss!" he continued. "Toss!"

The oars all went up as one, the handles resting on the bottom of the
boat.

"Let fall!" Frank proceeded with the drill, and with only a very short
pause between the two commands; but the oars all dropped into the
water, and were shipped with entire unity. "Give way!" he added; for
the 'together' is used as a rule only when the boat starts from the
shore or another craft.

"Stand by to hold water!" said Frank a little later. "Oars!"

At this command the oarsmen levelled and feathered their oars.

"Hold water!" and the boat began to slow down.

"Right here comes in another command," said Uncle Ben. "You hain't
heard it before; but it is often needed to keep you from runnin' into a
boat, a wharf, a rock, or anything else. The command is, 'Starn all!'
When you get it, you must pull backwards. It comes arter 'Hold water!'
as you are doin' now. All ready! The command, Frank."

"Stern all!" said the coxswain in vigorous tones, for this order is
likely to be given in an emergency.

The boys made rather bad work of rowing backwards at first, and it was
necessary for Uncle Ben to drill them for half an hour before they
could do it as well as their other work. But they were attentive and
patient; and at the end of the lesson they could pick up the stroke as
readily as the forward movement, even when the manoeuvres were
executed in a hurry, for it is generally used when there is need for
haste.

"How many more things are there to learn, Uncle Ben?" asked number
five, who was Charles Hardy.

The old salt removed his tarpaulin, scratched his bald head, and said
only two. The boys lay on their oars, as it is called when they are
levelled.

"Starboard oars--back!" said Frank. "Port oars--ahead! Give way!"