 | When life is young |  |
239
HOW WILLY'S SHIP CAME BACK
Willy, our bonny sailor,
With a “Hi-ho!” and a “Heave away!”
Willy, our would-be whaler,
“Oho, lads, ho!”
With a “Hi-ho!” and a “Heave away!”
Willy, our would-be whaler,
“Oho, lads, ho!”
Ruddy of cheek and eager-eyed,
Willy, our sailor boy:
Ship-builder he of a tiny craft,
Hear him, our whaler boy:
Willy, our sailor boy:
Ship-builder he of a tiny craft,
Hear him, our whaler boy:
“My, but the boat was a beauty!
A staver! A stunning toy!
And all by myself I built her.”
(Willy, our sailor boy.)
A staver! A stunning toy!
And all by myself I built her.”
(Willy, our sailor boy.)
“She was n't more than a handful,
That, sir, I don't deny;
But she went on a voyage of wonder
And came back high and dry.
That, sir, I don't deny;
But she went on a voyage of wonder
And came back high and dry.
“She sailed from the pool like a good one,
And then she slipped from sight,
Dipped, in a flash, and was gone, sir!”
(Willy, our midshipmite!)
And then she slipped from sight,
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(Willy, our midshipmite!)
“Then up she rose on a billow,
And sailed till I lost her track;
I waited, and waited, and waited,—
And how do you think she came back?”
And sailed till I lost her track;
I waited, and waited, and waited,—
And how do you think she came back?”
Willy, our bonny sailor,
With a “Hi-ho!” and a “Heave away!”
Willy, our would-be whaler,
“Oho, lads, ho!”
With a “Hi-ho!” and a “Heave away!”
Willy, our would-be whaler,
“Oho, lads, ho!”
“I heard a frisking and dashing,
Soft as the lightest spray,
A tittering crowd came splashing
To the cool rock where I lay.
Soft as the lightest spray,
A tittering crowd came splashing
To the cool rock where I lay.
“Up I sprang in a hurry.
Oh, but I saw a sight!
Six queer, bright little faces,
Dripping and merry with light.
Oh, but I saw a sight!
Six queer, bright little faces,
Dripping and merry with light.
“They were mermaids, sure as I'm living,
Bringing my boat to me,
That mite of a boat;—now I'm giving
The story as straight as can be!
Bringing my boat to me,
That mite of a boat;—now I'm giving
The story as straight as can be!
“They clung, their bright hair streaming,
Close to my rock, and laughed;
Now why do you think I was dreaming?
And why do you say I was daft?
Close to my rock, and laughed;
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And why do you say I was daft?
“The boat,—where is it? you wonder?
Well, somehow, before I knew,
The mermaids and boat slipped under,
And hid in the waters blue.”
Well, somehow, before I knew,
The mermaids and boat slipped under,
And hid in the waters blue.”
Willy, our bonny sailor,
With a “Hi-ho!” and a “Heave away!”
Willy, our bold young whaler,
“Oho, lads, ho!”
With a “Hi-ho!” and a “Heave away!”
Willy, our bold young whaler,
“Oho, lads, ho!”
| When life is young | |