And SOMERS sighed in sorrow as he settled in the south, For the thought of PETER’S oysters brought the water to his mouth. He longed to lay him down upon the shelly bed, and stuff: He had often eaten oysters, but had never had enough. How they wished an introduction to each other they had had When on board the _Ballyshannon_! And it drove them nearly mad To think how very friendly with each other they might get, If it wasn’t for the arbitrary rule of etiquette! One day, when out a-hunting for the _mus ridiculus_, GRAY overheard his fellow-man soliloquizing thus: “I wonder how the playmates of my youth are getting on, M’CONNELL, S. B. WALTERS, PADDY BYLES, and ROBINSON?” These simple words made PETER as delighted as could be, Old chummies at the Charterhouse were ROBINSON and he! He walked straight up to SOMERS, then he turned extremely red, Hesitated, hummed and hawed a bit, then cleared his throat, and said: “I beg your pardon—pray forgive me if I seem too bold, But you have breathed a name I knew familiarly of old. You spoke aloud of ROBINSON—I happened to be by. You know him?” “Yes, extremely well.” “Allow me, so do I.” It was enough: they felt they could more pleasantly get on, For (ah, the magic of the fact!) they each knew ROBINSON! And Mr. SOMERS’ turtle was at PETER’S service quite, And Mr. SOMERS punished PETER’S oyster-beds all night. They soon became like brothers from community of wrongs: They wrote each other little odes and sang each other songs; They told each other anecdotes disparaging their wives; On several occasions, too, they saved each other’s lives. They felt quite melancholy when they parted for the night, And got up in the morning soon as ever it was light; Each other’s pleasant company they reckoned so upon, And all because it happened that they both knew ROBINSON! They lived for many years on that inhospitable shore, And day by day they learned to love each other more and more. At last, to their astonishment, on getting up one day, They saw a frigate anchored in the offing of the bay. To PETER an idea occurred. “Suppose we cross the main? So good an opportunity may not be found again.” And SOMERS thought a minute, then ejaculated, “Done! I wonder how my business in the City’s getting on?” “But stay,” said Mr. PETER: “when in England, as you know, I earned a living tasting teas for BAKER, CROOP, AND CO., I may be superseded—my employers think me dead!” “Then come with me,” said SOMERS, “and taste indigo instead.” But all their plans were scattered in a moment when they found The vessel was a convict ship from Portland, outward bound; When a boat came off to fetch them, though they felt it very kind, To go on board they firmly but respectfully declined.