The spirit of Nelson, that haunts the Fleet, Had come whereabouts the ships must meet, But he fear’d there was some decoy or cheat That grey November morning, When the enemy led by a British scout Stole ’twixt our lines ... and never a shout Or a signal; and never a gun spoke out That grey November morning. 3. So he shaped his course to the Admiral’s ship, Where Beatty stood with hand on hip Impassive, nor ever moved his lip That grey November morning; And touching his shoulder he said: “My mate, Am I come too soon or am I too late? Is it friendly manœuvres or pageant of State This grey November morning?” 4. Then Beatty said: “As Admiral here In the name of the King I bid you good cheer: It’s not my fault that it looks so queer This grey November morning; But there come the enemy all in queues; They can fight well enough if only they choose; Small blame to me if the fools refuse, This grey November morning. 5. “That’s Admiral Reuter, surrendering nine Great Dreadnoughts, all first-rates of the line; Beyond, in the haze that veils the brine This grey November morning, Loom five heavy Cruisers, and light ones four, With a tail of Destroyers, fifty or more, Each squadron under its Commodore, This grey November morning. 6. “The least of all those captive queens Could have knock’d your whole navy to smithereens, And nothing said of the other machines, On a grey November morning, The aeroplanes and the submarines, Bombs, torpedoes, and Zeppelins, Their floating mines and their smoky screens, Of a grey November morning. 7. “They’ll rage like bulls sans reason or rhyme, And next day, as if ’twere a pantomime, They walk in like cows at milking-time, On a grey November morning. We’re four years sick of the pestilent mob; --You’ve heard of our biblical _Battle in Gob_?-- At times it was hardly a gentleman’s job Of a grey November morning.” 8. Then Nelson said: “God bless my soul! How things are changed in this age of coal; For the spittle it isn’t with you I’d condole This grey November morning. By George! you’ve netted a monstrous catch: You’ll be able to pen the best dispatch That ever an Admiral wrote under hatch On a grey November morning. 9. “I like your looks and I like your name: My heart goes out to the old fleet’s fame, And I’m pleased to find you so spry at the game This grey November morning. Your ships, tho’ I don’t half understand Their build, are stouter and better mann’d Than anything I ever had in command Of a grey November morning.” 10.