We swung our oar-blades forward.
"Ready?" The starter challenged us.
Suddenly Takia yelped! We struck and lay back as the shot rang out! A
stroke gained! Takia had taken the flash; the others the report!
The Jap's clever start gave us confidence and a lead. Big Jones at
stroke worked us up to better the advantage. The green boat sheered a
little, then steadied and came on, keeping to us, though nearly a
length astern. The _Tuebrook_ had made a bad start, but was thrashing
away pluckily in the rear.
So we hammered at it for a third of the course, when Takia took charge.
Since his famous start he had left us to take stroke as Jones pressed
us, but now he saw signs of the waver that comes after the first
furious burst--shifting grip or change of foothold.
"'_Trok_!--'_trok_!--'_trok_!" he muttered, and steadied the pace.
"'_Troke_!--'_troke_!--'_troke_!" in monotone, good for soothing
tension.
Past midway the green boat came away. The ring of the German's
rowlocks rose to treble pitch. Slowly they drew up, working at top
speed. Now they were level--level! and Takia still droning
"'_troke_!--'_troke_!--'_troke_!"--as if the lead was ours!
Wild outcry came from the crowd as the green boat forged ahead! Deep
roars from Schenke somewhere in the rear! Now, labouring still to
Takia's '_troke_!--'_troke_! we had the foam of the German's stern wash
at our blades! "Come away, _Hilda's_!" .
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