“Well, please take off the general’s uniform before you begin practice. A bathing suit would be better to wear while you are learning,” laughed Mrs. Parke. “Why, we won’t fall out,” said Anne. “There isn’t any reason why you should, but there is no telling when such experts in rowing as Jack, take a hand,” said Mrs. Davis. George, John and Jack were already in the boat, but there was but one pair of oar-locks and one set of oars, so only one could row. Seeing that Jack’s mother presented the boat, George relinquished his prerogative as commander-in-chief, and sat down to watch his cousin row. In spite of Jack’s explanation that all you did was “to just pull back and forth,” it seemed difficult to move the boat in the right direction. After many futile attempts, he turned over the oars for George to try. The ladies stood on the bank laughing at the general’s failure to row properly, and then John also failed. “Do you girls want to try?” asked Mrs. Davis. Jim stood by grinning delightedly at the boys in the boat, but not daring to hope that he would ever be invited to row. Martha saw his intense attitude and whispered to her mother, “Let’s ask Jim if he wants to try?” Mrs. Parke nodded smilingly. “Jim, do you want to try and see if you can move the boat?” With a start of amazed joy, the “rank and file” of the American army stuttered and stammered that it would! George and Jack jumped out, leaving John in the prow, and then Jim climbed in. He turned and said: “Does de lady officers wanta come in?” “Not till you have your trial, Jim. Then they are going to try, too,” replied Mrs. Parke. Now Jim had often accompanied his daddy on fishing trips for the day, and upon these excursions on the river, the little fellow had been taught how to manage a pair of oars and a boat. But the oars and boats found tied up to old tree stumps along the sluggish river banks were cumbersome, unmanageable affairs in comparison to this eggshell craft, with its ash blades to propel it on the bosom of the quiet creek. Hence, Jim sat down and admired the oars to his heart’s content, and then examined the ribbed sides and deck-flooring of the inside of the boat. The shiny varnish and brass-studded wood enchanted his soul so that he forgot to take up the oars. “Hurry up, Jim! Take your turn and then let the rest have theirs!” shouted George impatiently. Jim grinned so that every glistening tooth in his wide mouth showed distinctly, and he bent to pick up the oar-blades. After fitting them methodically in the oar-locks, he sat down. But the boys noticed that he sat on the next seat to the one they had occupied when trying to row. They also saw him try to brace his feet against the foot-rack, but he was too short. They found, however, that Jim very well knew what he was about.