younger nor me an'
you;
Their choice it was plain between drownin' in 'eaps an' bein' mashed
by the screw,
So they stood an' was still to the _Birken'ead_ drill, soldier an'
sailor too!

We're most of us liars, we're 'arf of us thieves, an' the rest are as
rank as can be,
But once in a while we can finish in style (which I 'ope it won't
'appen to me).
But it makes you think better o' you an' your friends, an' the work
you may 'ave to do,
When you think o' the sinkin' _Victorier's_ Jollies--soldier an'
sailor too!
Now there isn't no room for to say ye don't know--they 'ave proved it
plain and true--
That whether it's Widow, or whether it's ship, Victorier's work is to
do,
An' they done it, the Jollies--'Er Majesty's Jollies--soldier an'
sailor too!

SAPPERS.

When the Waters were dried an' the Earth did appear
("It's all one," says the Sapper),
The Lord He created the Engineer,
Her Majesty's Royal Engineer,
With the rank and pay of a Sapper!

When the Flood come along for an extra monsoon,
'Twas Noah constructed the first pontoon
To the plans of Her Majesty's, etc.

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 an 'ill,
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 trousies an