So it is, naturally enough, that to Allison, "Treasure Island" is the _ne plus ultra_ and composite of all pirate stories, and this marvel of delight he called to Waller's attention while they were incubating "The Ogallallas." No sooner had Waller read it than the quatrain of Old Billy Bones took possession of him and converted itself into music. The two of them, as so many other thousands had done, bewailed the parsimony of Stevenson in the use and development of the grisly suggestion and Waller declared that if Allison would complete the verse he would set it to music. That same night Allison composed three ragged but promising verses, at white heat, while walking the floor in a cloud of tobacco smoke of his own making. Next morning he gave them to Waller, who by night had the score and words married and a day later the finished product went forward to Wm. A. Pond & Co., and was published under the title of "A Piratical Ballad"[4]. Note that these initial verses are described as "ragged" and in this I am also quoting Allison himself who in our various chats on his reminiscence of "Treasure Island" has often given them this characterization. Be that as it may these three verses were the foundation for the perfect six that were to emerge after several years more of intermittent but patient development and labor. [4] A Piratical Ballad. Song for Bass or Deep Baritone. Words by Young E. Allison; Music by Henry Waller; New York. Published by William A. Pond & Co. Copyright 1891. [See pages 65-68.] A PIRATICAL BALLAD. Fifteen men on the dead man's chest-- Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum! Drink and the devil had done for the rest-- Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum! The mate was fixed by the bo's'n's pike, The bo's'n brained with a marlinspike, And cookey's throat was marked belike It had been gripped By fingers ten. And there they lay, All good dead men-- Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum, Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum! Fifteen men all stark and cold-- Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum! Their eyes popp'd wide and glazed and bold-- Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum! The skipper lay with his nob in gore Where the scullion's axe his cheek had shore, And the scullion he was stabbed times four. And there they lay, And the soggy skies Rained all day long On the staring eyes-- Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum, Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum! Fifteen men of the Vixen's list-- Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum! All gone down from the devil's own fist-- Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum! We wrapped 'em all in a mainsail's fold, We sewed at the foot a bit of gold, And we heaved 'em into the billows cold. The bit was put As snug's could be, Where't ne'er will bother You nor me-- Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum, Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum!