Page:The moods of Ginger Mick.djvu/48

40 I bumped 'is lordship, name o' Keith, an' 'ad a little row, An' 'e lost some chunks uv beauty; but 'e's good Australian now.

"There is Privit Snifty Thompson, 'oo wus once a Sydney rat. An' 'e 'ung around the Rocks when 'e wus young. There's little Smith uv Collin'wood, wiv fags stuck in 'is 'at. An' a string uv dirty insults on 'is tongue. A corperil took them in 'and—a lad frum Lameroo. Now both is nearly gentlemen, an' good Australians too.

"There's one, 'e doesn't tork a lot, 'e sez 'is name is Trent, Jist a privit, but 'e knows 'is drill a treat; A stand-orf bloke, but reel good pals wiv fellers in 'is tent; But 'is 'ome an' 'istoree 'as got 'em beat. They reckon when 'e starts to bleed 'e'll stain 'is Kharki blue: An' 'is lingo smells uv Oxford—but 'e's good Australian too.

"Then there's Lofty Craig uv Queensland, 'oo's a special pal uv mine; Slow an' shy, an' kind o' nervous uv 'is height; An' Jupp, 'oo owns a copper show, an' arsts us out to dine When we're doo fer leave in Cairo uv a night. An' there's Bills an' Jims an' Bennos, an' there's Roys an' 'Arolds too, An' they're cobbers, an' they're brothers, an' Australians thro' an' thro'.