Page:The Eight-Oared Victors.djvu/257

Rh "If we can," remarked Harry Chapin, who was at stroke.

"We can if you'll pull hard enough and fast enough." retorted the coxswain.

"Naturally. That's as easy as pons asinorum to say, but not so easy to do," commented number six—Billie Burden.

"Say, if you lads want to have any breath left for rowing you'd better stop talking," commented the coach, and after that there was silence in the varsity as well as in the second eight.

On came Boxer Hall, and not a Randall lad but envied their long, powerful stroke, so evenly done, and with such seeming power back of it. But Boxer Hall had been turning out winning crews for several years, and they had had much practice.

But, with all that, as Mr. Lighton and Mr. Pierson watched the two crews of Randall, out of whose numbers they hoped would come a varsity winner, the head coach remarked: "Our boys do very well."

"Very well indeed," responded the Cornell man. "In fact I like their stroke better than that of Boxer Hall's. It is likely to last longer, and is not so tiring. Our boys feather better, too."

"Yes, thanks to your instruction this Summer to Tom Parsons and his three chums. Four good