The Government Yacht it sets sail in full state, _Sing hey, sing ho and a well-caulked deck!_ And what do you think of that canny first mate? _Ho! the sky is as bright as a beryl._ That canny first Mate is a smart Volunteer, And to look at his jib and to list to his cheer, You would think as a hero he hadn't a peer, Superior wholly to flurry or fear In the tryingest moment of peril. With a Skipper so stout and a Mate so astute, _Sing hey, sing ho, and an even keel!_ The course of that yacht can't be hard to compute, _Ho! the sky shines fair in the offing!_ SALISBURY dauntless, and SMITH debonair, And GOSCHEN a Nautical Ajax who'll dare All the lightnings on hand--at least so he'll declare!-- How finely with such a fine crew they should fare, In spite of the land-lubbers scoffing. Hooray!--Humph! By Jove that's a suddenish squall, _Sing hey, sing ho, and a spinnaker boom!_ The Skipper, he doesn't look steady at all, _Ho! there's something amiss with the compass!_ Whilst SMITH, the first Luff, looks a little less smart, And GOSCHEN--by Jove, can _he_ be losing heart? He swears there's some blessed mistake in the Chart, Is his not the cool imperturbable part? Then why should _he_ kick up a rumpus? It's hard navigation midst quicksands and rocks; _Sing hey, sing ho, and a chopping sea!_ The hull has been strained by some smart little shocks, _Ho! the sky looks black in the offing!_ Is this the plain-sailing you promised, my Lord? Why the rival Skipper will swear he has scored. What say you, Chief Mate? It won't do to be floored, _Don't_ you think we had best take a pilot aboard, In spite of piratical scoffing? II.--ON SHORE. There's a smart Cockney Tar with his glass to his eye, _Sing hey, sing ho, and a Brummagem salt!_ And what does the trim longshore yachtsman descry? _Ho! he's spying like Robinson Crusoe!_ The Pilot in pose imperturbable stands, With slouching Sou'wester and pocketed hands, But his eye's on the Yacht and he quite understands, The fix of the Skipper--poor chap!--who commands, Or at least is imagined to do so. "Hillo!" cries the Cockney; "they're signalling now, _Sing hey, sing ho, and a flag to the peak!_ If the Yacht runs aground, Mate, there will be a row. _Ho! the Pilot is peacefully winking._ I've an interest in her myself; can't afford She should seek Davy Jones, not at least till _I've_ scored. How is it, my HARTY--beg pardon!--my Lord! They signal a pilot; shall you go aboard To save 'em from striking or sinking?" [_Left considering._ [Illustration: DIFFICULT NAVIGATION. (_FOG COMING ON._) CH-MB-RL-N. "I SAY, MY HARTY, GOVERNMENT YACHT SIGNALLING FOR A PILOT!! ARE YOU GOING ABOARD?"] * * * * * THE SAILOR'S SLIP. (AIR--"_The Sailor's Journal._")