THE BOAT-RACE. 113 



CHAPTER XVII. 



The Boat-race. Winning. Mr. Marston. Nightingale and Nest 

 The noise of the Nightingales. 



THE next morning Frank had another row in the four-oar, and 

 in the afternoon they practised starts. The boat went very 

 well indeed, notwithstanding the importation of new blood into 

 it at the last hour. The day of the race came, a beautiful 

 summer day with a gentle breeze, and the glare of the sun 

 subdued by light clouds. 



The race was at three o'clock, and a goodly company had 

 assembled at Whitlingham to witness it The course was from 

 below Postwick Grove to Whitlingham, a distance of two miles, 

 the latter part of which was a long straight course, where for 

 nearly a mile the boats could be seen by all the spectators. 



" How do you feel, old man ? " said Jimmy to Frank as he 

 was in the boat-house dressing. 



" Oh, all right ; we mean to win." * 



" I don't know that you will though. I have seen the other 

 crew rowing past on their way to the course. They have got 

 such a splendid long stroke and swing so evenly." 



" Yes, they row well," said Marston, who was the stroke of 

 Frank's boat " but they have not got enough of ' go ' in them. 

 They take it too easily, and so don't get a good grip of the 

 water ; and I think they have over-trained. Still we shall have 

 a hard job to beat them, but we all mean to try. Now look 

 here, you fellows. This is what I mean to do. We will put on 

 a spurt at first, and get ahead of them, and then settle down 

 into a steady stroke." 



This was very good advice, for it is a well-known fact that 

 boys row with all the more esprit if they can only get a start 

 at the beginning. They are not so good at rowing a ' waiting ; 

 race as men are, but if they can but get ahead at first they 

 always have a very good chance against men who are much 

 stronger than themselves, 



Dick and Jimmy went to their yacht, and as the wind, 



i 



