"Once in your seat, ship your oar by thrusting the handle in through the outrigger oarlock from outside. Sit straight, not to one side, and squarely face the handle of your oar, have your shoulders a bit back, and your elbows close to your flanks. I'll give you more points as we go along.
"Hold your oar with the outside hand close to the end of the handle, but not over the edge of it. You get more power from your outside hand, remember. The 'outside' hand, strange as it may seem, is the one nearest the centre of the boat, and the inside one, that nearest the 'loom,' spoon, body or blade of the oar. Put the other hand not more than two and a half inches from the outside hand. Thumbs underneath, or toward the bottom of the boat, of course; though some men row with the thumb of one hand in the same position as the fingers.
"And now then, to give you brief instructions in how to row. First give a full, fair reach out over your toes, with both arms perfectly straight, dip your oar in the water--plunge it in with force. Get a good hold on the water with the blade, and the instant it is immersed, pull with all your might, and then follow through, as we say, with a long, firm stroke without vibration or wavering.
"Then, with a light finish, get your oar blade clear of the water cleanly, feather light, low and quick--into the water again all together with a 'chug'--another pull and--there you are--you're rowing!"
There was silence for a moment, and then Tom remarked:
"Yes, and some of you will find it easy," remarked Mr. Lighton, with a smile. "Others will not. But we can tell soon who the rowers are going to be, though that is not saying that, with practice, some of those who seem the least fitted may not become very proficient."
"I once belonged to a swell New York club," remarked Reginald Boswell.
"Why did they put you out, Bossy?" asked Kindlings, with a wink at Sid.
"They didn't--I resigned," and the rich lad shot an indignant glance at his tormentor.
"Now then, get into the shell, and we'll try a little spin," called the coach, and he watched carefully as each of the eight lads followed his instructions more or less accurately. Some were a bit awkward, but all were careful to at least step into the shell properly.