Page:Rudyard Kipling's verse - Inclusive Edition 1885-1918.djvu/513

 INCLUSIVE EDITION, 1885-1918 495

But after fatigue in the wet an' the sun, Old Noah got drunk, which he wouldn't ha' done If he'd trained with, etc.

When the Tower o' Babel had mixed up men's bat^ Some clever civilian was managing that, An' none of, etc.

When the Jews had a fight at the foot of a hill, Young Joshua ordered the sun to stand still, For he was a Captain of Engineers, etc.

When the Children of Israel made bricks without straw, They were learnin' the regular work of our Corps, The work of, etc.

For ever since then, if a war they would wage, Behold us a-shinin' on history's page First page for, etc.

We lay down their sidings an' help 'em entrain, An' we sweep up their mess through the bloomin' campaign In the style of, etc.

They send us in front with a fuse an' a mine To blow up the gates that are rushed by the Line, But bent by, etc.

They send us behind with a pick an' a spade, To dig for the guns of a bullock-brigade Which has asked for, etc.

We work under escort in trousers and shirt, An* the heathen they plug us tail-up in the dirt, Annoying, etc.

1 Talk.