The oars all went up as one, the handles resting on the bottom of the boat.
"Let fall!" Frank proceeded with the drill, and with only a very short pause between the two commands; but the oars all dropped into the water, and were shipped with entire unity. "Give way!" he added; for the 'together' is used as a rule only when the boat starts from the shore or another craft.
"Stand by to hold water!" said Frank a little later. "Oars!"
At this command the oarsmen levelled and feathered their oars.
"Hold water!" and the boat began to slow down.
"Right here comes in another command," said Uncle Ben. "You hain't heard it before; but it is often needed to keep you from runnin' into a boat, a wharf, a rock, or anything else. The command is, 'Starn all!' When you get it, you must pull backwards. It comes arter 'Hold water!' as you are doin' now. All ready! The command, Frank."
"Stern all!" said the coxswain in vigorous tones, for this order is likely to be given in an emergency.
The boys made rather bad work of rowing backwards at first, and it was necessary for Uncle Ben to drill them for half an hour before they could do it as well as their other work. But they were attentive and patient; and at the end of the lesson they could pick up the stroke as readily as the forward movement, even when the manœuvres were executed in a hurry, for it is generally used when there is need for haste.
"How many more things are there to learn, Uncle Ben?" asked number five, who was Charles Hardy.
The old salt removed his tarpaulin, scratched his bald head, and said only two. The boys lay on their oars, as it is called when they are levelled.