As each one, in turn, practiced these instructions, the rest looked on, observing every thing very attentively, so as to be ready when their turn should come.

At length, when they had rowed separately, he tried first two, and then four, and then six together, and finally got them so trained that they could keep the stroke very well.

While they were pulling in this manner, the boat would shoot ahead very rapidly.

When he wanted them to stop, he would call out, "_Oars_." This was the order for them to stop rowing, after they had finished the stroke which they had commenced, and to hold the oars in a horizontal position, with the blades just above the water, ready to begin again whenever he should give the command.
At first the boys were inclined to stop immediately, even if they were in the middle of a stroke, if they heard the command, _oars_.

But Marco said that this was wrong; they must finish the stroke, he said, if they had commenced it, and then all take the oars out of the water regularly together.