My back aches yet with the work that I did." "I don't doubt it," Dick smiled.

"I know that my back aches." "Then how are we going to win in any other race against Preston High School ?" Darrin asked curiously.
"Did you fellows study the paddling work of the Prestons this morning ?" Prescott asked.
"I saw their paddles ahead of us all the time," Greg murmured.
"That was a good place to have their paddles, for study," Dick laughed.

"Couldn't you see, from their paddling, why they beat us with ease ?" "No! Could you ?" challenged Tom.
"Yes.

The Preston fellows dip their paddles better than we do.
They dip so that the blade always cuts the breeze, instead of meeting it.

When they recover they turn their paddles so as to slip them out of the water without throwing any back strain on the canoe's progress.