A Sportsman at Large 69 



I looked to my rudder lines and tested them. All correct ! 



Booth stood with watch in hand. " Three minutes more ! 

 Two minutes ! Sixty seconds ! " 



I gave the word of command. 



" Ready ? Forward ! " 



" Thirty seconds, fifteen, ten, five, fou*, three, two, one. 

 GUN ! " 



We were away smartly and immediately began to gain 

 on Clare ; but they, in their turn, were quickly pegging back 

 Downing. 



I was almost within striking distance as we rounded First 

 Post Corner ; but before I could make my effort, I saw the 

 arm of the Downing cox go up in token of defeat by Clare. 



Immediately I decided on a desperate venture ; coming 

 up on the inside of the easied boats (conquerors and con- 

 quered) I yelled out to Penrose, " Pick it up, stroke. I'll 

 squeeze by and we'll have a shot at Magdalene." 



My gallant crew responded with a will. Magdalene, badly 

 steered, had swung out at Grassy Corner. Here was my 

 opportunity. Despite the obstruction caused by Downing 

 and Clare I managed to manoeuvre my craft so that I could 

 slip close round this tricky bend, without making too hard 

 use of my rudder, with the consequence that we gained fully 

 one and a half lengths on the leaders. As we swung round 

 Ditton and into the Long Reach, we were still two clear 

 lengths to the bad ; but we continued to gain steadily all up 

 the stretch, and when the nose of our boat was within a quarter 

 of a length of their rudder I called on my men for a final 

 effort. Again they responded magnificently. I was not 

 going to risk a direct shot, but determined to edge on to them 

 obliquely. 



"HUP! HUP!! HUP!!! Put it all in. . . . BUMP!" 



Up went the arm of the Magdalene cox ! 



We had bumped over two places with only about two hundred 

 yards to go ! 



This of course put us at the head of the division. So now 

 we had to get back to the starting point, in order to row as 

 last boat in the Second Division. 



Our objective was to lower the colours of Lady Margaret II. 



