Page:The Eight-Oared Victors.djvu/126

114 he could keep close to the shell, Mr. Lighton gave valuable advice. He could do it to better advantage now that he was not in the boat.

"Cut 'em down some," advised the coach, after Frank's little spurt. "About twenty-eight a minute will do now. We'll try a ten-mile bit to-day."

Some of the lads felt their hearts sink at this. Eight had been the limit so far, but they realized that they were in for a grilling, and they stiffened their backs to it.

"Row out your strokes," went on the coach. "Use every ounce of strength you have, and remember that your muscular force, applied at the beginning, does ten times the work as if you put it in at the end. Keep together. Get the oars in the water at the same time, and out together.

"Feather a bit higher—the water is rough today and you don't want to splash. Try to imagine you are all a part of one man rowing in a small boat. Make your oars rise and fall together. They're a bit ragged now."

With such good advice did the coach urge on the lads, and they responded nobly. In a short time, though the rowing had gone a bit awkwardly at first, there was a noticeable improvement.

As Mr. Lighton had said, the boat had been a bit heavy aft, and had dragged. With his weight gone, and with a lighter coxswain, and with the other changes, there was great improvement.