Page:The Seven Seas (Kipling, 1896).djvu/229

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THE JACKET
207

An' the Captain saw the shrapnel, which is six-an'-thirty clear.
('Orse Gunners, listen to my song!)
'Will you draw the weight,' sez 'e, 'or will you draw the beer?'
An' we didn't keep 'im waitin' very long.


For the Captain, etc.


Then we trotted gentle, not to break the bloomin' glass,
Though the Arabites 'ad all their ranges marked;
But we dursn't 'ardly gallop, for the most was bottled Bass,
An' we'd dreamed of it since we was disembarked:
So we fired economic with the shells we 'ad in 'and,
('Orse Gunners, listen to my song!)
But the beggars under cover 'ad the impidence to stand,
An' we couldn't keep 'em waitin' very long.


And the Captain, etc.