The narrator and his friends are nervous as they prepare for the rowing lesson that Miss Akira is teaching them. The gondola is too big, the gondola rocks, and the water is too high. The narrator is nervous because he has never been taught rowing before, but he is also very nervous. He tells everyone to treat each other politely and to give each person a helping hand. He also tells them that the house where the gondola is being built is the same house that the Polo Club was born in. He says that everyone should look to their left to see if they are going too fast or too slow. Akari is nervous when she sees the gondola approaching. She waves to the gondola, but she can barely hear the gondola coming through. The water is rising fast, and they are already at a standstill. They are afraid that they will have to ask someone to help them get through the water. They order a large pizza and walnut bread, but they are disappointed because they thought they were going to be yelled at for their poor rowing