So the boy launched it, and they took off their coats and prepared to take their seats (поэтому мальчик спустил ее на воду, они сняли куртки и приготовились = начали рассаживаться). The boy suggested that George, who, even in those days (мальчик высказал мнение, что Джорджу, который уже в те дни; even — даже), was always the heavy man of any party, should be number four (был всегда самым тяжелым в любой компании, следует быть номером четыре). George said he should be happy to be number four, and promptly stepped into bow's place (Джордж сказал, что рад быть номером четыре, и быстро занял место на носу; to step into — входить; to step into a car — сесть в автомобиль), and sat down with his back to the stern (и сел спиной к корме; to sit down). They got him into his proper position at last, and then the others followed (его посадили как следует: «в правильное положение» наконец, и затем остальные последовали = тоже расселись).

ardour [':d] launch [l:n]

There was an eight-oared racing outrigger drawn up on the stage; that was the one that took their fancy. They said they'd have that one, please. The boatman was away, and only his boy was in charge. The boy tried to damp their ardour for the outrigger, and showed them two or three very comfortable-looking boats of the family-party build, but those would not do at all; the outrigger was the boat they thought they would look best in.

So the boy launched it, and they took off their coats and prepared to take their seats. The boy suggested that George, who, even in those days, was always the heavy man of any party, should be number four. George said he should be happy to be number four, and promptly stepped into bow's place, and sat down with his back to the stern. They got him into his proper position at last, and then the others followed.

A particularly nervous boy was appointed cox (чрезвычайно нервного мальчика назначили рулевым; cox = coxswain — старшина шлюпки, рулевой), and the steering principle explained to him by Joskins (и основы управления рулем объяснил ему Джоскинс; principle — принцип, норма, основа). Joskins himself took stroke (сам Джоскинс сел загребным; stroke — удар; взмах веслом; загребное весло; загребной /гребец, сидящий ближе других к корме/). He told the others that it was simple enough (он сказал остальным, что это довольно просто); all they had to do was to follow him (все, что им нужно делать — повторять за ним).

They said they were ready, and the boy on the landing stage took a boat-hook and shoved them off (они сказали, что готовы, и мальчик на пристани взял багор и оттолкнул их).