There Was Only Room For Them To Take Four Or Five Strokes Before They Came To The Bridge, And Under The Bridge There Was Only A Very Narrow Passage Where They Could Go Through.

This passage was between one of the piers and a gravel bed.

As they advanced toward it, Forester called out, "_Give way strong!_" and all the boys pulled their oars with all their strength, without, however, accelerating the strokes. This gave the boat a rapid headway, and then Forester gave the order to _trail_, when the boys simultaneously lifted the oars out of the row-locks and let them drift in the water alongside of the boat. As the boat was advancing very swiftly, the oars were immediately swept in close to her sides, and thus were out of the way, and the boat glided safely and swiftly through the passage, and emerged into a broader sheet of smooth water beyond.

"_Recover!_" said Forester. The boys then, by a peculiar manoeuver which they had learned by much practice, brought back their oars into the row-locks, and raised the blades out of the water, so as to get them into a position for rowing. "_Give way!_" said Forester, and immediately they were all in motion, the boat gliding swiftly down the stream.

After they had gone on in this way a few minutes, Forester ordered the oars _apeak_, and put the crew at ease. When the oars are apeak, they are drawn _in_ a little way, so that the handle of each oar may be passed under a sort of cleat or ledge, which runs along on the inside of the boat near the upper edge of it.

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