190 THE GAM. 



to a mere mercenary blubber-hunter. He had 

 been waiting all the evening for somebody to call 

 for a line-of-battle-ship yarn, but this invitation to 

 sing was the nearest approach to such solicitation. 

 Pie therefore jumped at the chance. He assumed 

 for the moment an air of aggrieved timidity, but 

 when the crowd insisted, he reluctantly, but firmly, 

 submitted. 



Four-decker was a stout, deep-chested, beef- 

 laden seaman with a cavernous mouth and a 

 ponderous bass voice. He sang with the gusto of 

 a music-hall soloist and an occasional tragic gesture 

 enlivened the ballad : — 



" It was on a dark and stormy night, 

 The wind nor' west did blow; 

 And from the ship's high, lofty bows, 

 That were pitching to and fro, 

 Could be heard loud, rattling peals of thunder, 

 And fierce, wild lightnings fly. 

 Hail, rain and sleet and thunders meet, 

 And dismal was the sky. 



" 'Twas early on next morning 



Our brave commander said 

 ' Whoever has the lookout, go up to the mast-head, 



And keep a good lookout, my boy, 



And try what you can see ! ' 



And he soon cried out from the mast-head, 

 1 Two large ships under our lee ! ' 



" Now one was off our quarter, 

 The other off our cat-head. 

 We cleared away for action, 

 As our brave commander said. 



