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 last, gripping the water the instant the oar is back and the body and arms forward, and dragged clean through without jerk or plunge, the swing of the bodies regular as clockwork, the feather clear and rapid--this essentially is the kind of rowing which not only puts most pace into the boat, but is capable of being sustained far longer than any other.
Not long after us our opponents embarked, and we had an opportunity of criticising their style as they paddled up to where we lay waiting for them.

It certainly looked pretty and taking.

The stroke was quicker than ours, and equally regular, but it seemed to end in a spasmodic jerk as the oars left the water, which, though it succeeded in making the boat travel quickly, appeared to try the powers of the rowers rather more than our style did.