 | Joaquin Miller's Poems |  |
45
XLVI
He jerked the wheel, as slow he said,Low laughing with averted head,
And so half sad: “You bet, they'll fight;
They followed in canim, canoe,
A perfect fleet, that on the blue
Lay dancing till the mid of night.
Would you believe! one little cuss—”
(He turned his hard head slow sidewise
And 'neath his hat-rim took the skies)—
“In petticoats did follow us
The livelong night, and at the dawn
Her boat lay rocking in the lee,
Scarce one short pistol-shot from me.”
This said the mate, half mournfully,
Then pecked at us; for he had drawn,
By bright light heart and homely wit,
A knot of men around the wheel,
Which he stood whirling like a reel,
For the still ship reck'd not of it.
| Joaquin Miller's Poems | |