The boys, however, knew nothing about this, for Marco, as it was all very plain and familiar to him, did not realize the necessity of making very minute explanations to such new recruits as those that were under his command.  Accordingly, when the order came to toss, some of the boys sat still, looking at Marco, and not knowing what to do; others raised their oars into the air, some one way and some another; and Joseph, who was a little discomposed by the rebuff he had met with, concluded that he would obey as literally as possible, let what would come of it and he gave his oar a high toss into the air.  It fell at a short distance from him into the water, went down for a moment out of sight, and then, shooting out for half its length, it fell over upon its side and began to float away.

[Illustration:  “TOSS.”]

Hereupon ensued just such a scene of laughter shouts, and confusion as might have been expected.  All began to shout out exclamations and orders, and to give directions how to proceed to recover the lost oar.  The boys whose oars were still left, thrust them confusedly into the water, and began pushing, poking, and paddling with them, in order to get the boat out to where Joseph’s oar was floating.  All this time Forester remained on the bank, laughing at this specimen of nautical command and subordination.

After a time the oar was recovered, and Marco, after much scolding and vociferation, got his crew in order again.  Forester said that he would remain where he was, on the bank, until Marco had tried his oarsmen a little.  So Marco went on giving his orders.  He succeeded finally in getting the boys all in their seats again, with their oars in their hands.

“Now, boys, mind,” said he, “and I’ll tell you exactly what to do. Attention! When I say Attention, you must all stop talking. Attention! Now you mustn’t speak a word.  You must hold your oars out over the water and have them all ready, the handles in your hands, and when I say Give way, then you must all begin to row, all together exactly, so as to keep the stroke.  You must keep the stroke with the stroke-oarsman.”

But the boys did not know who the stroke-oarsman was, and they began clamorously to inquire, notwithstanding the injunction to silence which they had received.  Marco explained to them that the stroke-oarsman was the one who sat nearest to him, that is, the one farthest aft.  As the oarsmen were all sitting with their backs toward the bow of the boat, their faces were toward the stern, and therefore the one who sat farthest aft could be seen by the rest.  This is the reason why the thwart which is farthest aft is made the seat of the best oarsman, and the others are required to make their motions keep time with his.  For the oars in a boat that is fully manned are so close together, that, unless they keep time exactly with each other, the blades would cross and hit one another in utter confusion.  But if they keep the stroke, as they call it, exactly together, all goes right.  For this reason the oarsman who sits aft, by whose oar the movements of all the other oars are to be regulated, is called the stroke-oarsman.