The _Lancashire Witch_, where I will join her"----
And all the Fleet read this and roared.
Well--of strong words JACK's a free coiner,
But never mind what I remarked
When I perceived my act of folly.
They'll think the Naval Lord has larked!
Hang it! I'll say good-bye to SOLLY.

Such games aboard the Royal Yacht!--
Although I am a chartered rattle,
The Big-wigs won't stand this. 'Tis rot,
But with red-tape who, who can battle?
A private message to my wife
By public signal! Oh, what folly!
It _is_ a lark, upon my life!
But--I'll resign my berth, dear SOLLY!

Will our good QUEEN accept? She _may_,
The Public doubts it altogether.
A sailor's slip on such a day,
A stretch of discipline's tight tether,
Is scarce a heavy fault to score
Against a sailor frank and jolly.
Still, I'll resign when once ashore,
And leave it to my QUEEN and SOLLY.

* * * * *

ROBERT AT SPITHEAD.

THE question as prayed on my mind during the long waits at the Rewiew on
Saturday, and which not ewen the Marines couldn't anser, and for which I
dessay as I shall have to wait till the next Jewbilly afore I gits it
sattisfactoryly xplained, is, why must these sillybrations be all begun
so uncommon hurly? There may be sum werry singlar peeple as likes hurly
rising. Having probberbly nothink werry pertickler to do of a heavening,
they natrally goes to roost hurley, like powltry, and plowmen, and such
like, and having probberbly nothink werry pertickler to do in the
morning, they natrally gits up hurley to do it, like the powltry
aforesaid. But to Waiters in gineral and to Hed Waiters in pertickler,
nothink is so hawful as hurley rising. As late as you like at nite and
as late as you likes in the morning. Them's my sentiments and I means to
stick to 'em. And I suttenly thinks as I never seed sitch a
sleepy-looking set of gents as assembled at Warterloo Stashun at about
arf-past seven, Hay. Hem. on Saturday Morning. However, we most of us
had a nice refreshing slumber on the way down, and then pulled ourselves
together for the gorgeous specktacle.

My werry fust thort was, how about the foaming billows? and I'm bound to
say as they behaved theirselves uncommon steady. There was no playfool
game of pitch and toss, but they were as quiet as Chelsea Reach. The
number of great big ships as we seed was enuff to make ewen an Hed
Waiter proud of his country