She had her dress all clutched up to her shoulder, And all her naked arm was all one gleam. It’s going to freeze to-night, it’s turning colder, I wish there was more water in the stream, I’d drownd myself. Perhaps it’s all a dream, And bye and bye I’ll wake and find it stuff; By crimes, the pain I suffer’s real enough.’ About two hundred yards from Gunder Loss He stopped to shudder, leaning on the gate, He bit the touchwood underneath the moss; ’Rotten, like her,’ he muttered in his hate; He spat it out again with ’But, you wait, We’ll see again, before to-morrow’s past, In this life he laughs longest who laughs last.’ All through the night the stream ran to the sea, The different water always saying the same, Cat-like, and then a tinkle, never glee, A lonely little child alone in shame. An otter snapped a thorn twig when he came, It drifted down, it passed the Hazel Mill, It passed the Springs; but Jimmy stayed there still. Over the pointed hill-top came the light Out of the mists on Ercall came the sun, Red like a huntsman halloing after night, Blowing a horn to rouse up everyone; Through many glittering cities he had run, Splashing the wind vanes on the dewy roofs With golden sparks struck by his horses’ hoofs. The watchman rose, rubbing his rusty eyes, He stirred the pot of cocoa for his mate; The fireman watched his head of power rise. ’What time?’ he asked. ’You haven’t long to wait.’ ’Now, is it time?’ ’Yes. Let her ripple.’ Straight The whistle shrieked its message, ’Up to work! Up, or be fined a quarter if you shirk.’ Hearing the whistle, Jimmy raised his head, ’The warning call, and me in Sunday clo’es; I’d better go; I’ve time. The sun looks red, I feel so stiff’ I’m very nearly froze.’ So over brook and through the fields he goes, And up the line among the navvies’ smiles, ’Young Jimmy Gurney’s been upon the tiles.’ The second whistle blew and work began, Jimmy worked too, not knowing what he did, He tripped and stumbled like a drunken man; He muddled all, whatever he was bid, The foreman cursed, ’Good God, what ails the kid? Hi! Gurney. You. We’ll have you crocking soon, You take a lie down till the afternoon.’ ’I won’t,’ he answered. ’Why the devil should I? I’m here, I mean to work. I do my piece, Or would do if a man could, but how could I Then you come nagging round and never cease? Well, take the job and give me my release, I want the sack, now give it, there’s my pick; Give me the sack.’ The sack was given quick. V Dully he got his time-check from the keeper. ’Curse her,’ he said; ’and that’s the end of whores’-- He stumbled drunkenly across a sleeper-- ’Give all you have and get kicked out a-doors.’ He cashed his time-check at the station stores. ’Bett’ring yourself, I hope, Jim,’ said the master; ’That’s it,’ said Jim; ’and so I will do, blast her.’