This time the two new men guessed fairly well. They went through
the motions of allowing their toothpick oars to fall into row-locks.

"Now, at the outset, take your strokes from my count," directed
Mr. Trotter. "One, two three, four, five, six, seven--"

And so on. It was all ludicrously absurd, to see Dave and Dan
bending to their tasks as seriously as though they were rowing
real craft with actual oars.

One of the visiting plebes was stupid enough to giggle.

"Go over and stand by the window in arrest, mister," ordered Midshipman
Hayes. "You shall be tried later!"

Then the "boat race" continued. It soon proved to be more than
absurd; it was decidedly fatiguing. Both Dave and Dan found that
their strained positions, and the motions required of them, made
backs and shoulders ache. Their legs, too, began to suffer from
cramp.

It was not until both showed signs of decided weariness that the
race was brought to an end.

Then the cadet who had giggled was called forward, ordered to
half fill one of the washbowls and to stand on his head in it.

While this was going on there was not a smile from anyone. From
the serious faces of all this might have been one of the most