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 174 MARRYAT

LXXX THE OLD NAVY

THE captain stood on the carronade: 'First lieu- tenant, ' says he, 'Send all my merry men aft here, for they must list

to me; I haven't the gift of the gab, my sons because I'm

bred to the sea;

That ship there is a Frenchman, who means to fight with we.

And odds bobs, hammer and tongs, long as

I've been to sea,

I've fought 'gainst every odds but I've gained the victory !

That ship there is a Frenchman, and if we don't

take she,

'Tis a thousand bullets to one, that she will capture we; I haven't the gift of the gab, my boys; so each man

to his gun;

If she's not mine in half an hour, I'll flog each mother's son.

For odds bobs, hammer and tongs, long as

I've been to sea,

I've fought 'gainst every odds and I've gained the victory ! '

We fought for twenty minutes, when the French- man had enough;

'I little thought,' said he, 'that your men were of such stuff ' ;

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