Brave boys!
Wich it weren't of no awa-a-a-il.
Brum JOEY[1], no doubt,
Is a-cruisin' about,
But _they_ mustn't catch that Whale,
Brave boys!
No, _they_ mustn't catch that Whale."

There was only me and SOLLY,
Brave boys!
In that boat, with never a sa-a-a-il;
And, it may seem folly,
But we both was jolly,
For we meant for to catch that Whale,
Brave boys!
_We_ meant for to _catch_ that Whale!

No harpoon, or such tackle _we_ took.
Brave boys!
For we knowed they was no ava-a-a-il.
No, we went for to look
For that Whale--_with a hook_.
_That's_ how we went for that Whale,
Brave boys!
That's how _we_ went for that Whale!

We knowed that a sprat was _the_ bait,
Brave boys!
What was never knowed for to fa-a-a-il.
So the sprat _I_ throwed,
Whilst SOLLY, _he_ rowed,
That's how we angled for that Whale,
Brave boys!
That's how we angled for that Whale!

He lashed, and he dashed, and he splashed,
Brave boys!
And he _spouted_ on a werry big sca-a-a-le.
But the skipper, he still held on,
And that sprat what I have telled on,
I dangled,--for to catch that Whale,
Brave boys!
I dangled,--for to catch that Whale!

"Strike! turn yer winch, pull in yer line!
Brave boys!
(Sings out SOLLY) and yer prize you'll na-a-a-il!"
Then a rummy thing did 'appen
Wich amazed me and the Cap'en;
_I_ struck,--but so did that Whale,
Brave boys!
I _struck_--but so did that Whale!

We found he was the better at a _Strike_,
Brave boys!
Fhwisk! He hit us _such_ a wallop with his ta-a-a-il.
With my hook, sprat, tackle too
He just vanished from our view.
So--_we haven't yet caught that Whale_,
Brave boys!
No,--_we haven't yet caught that Whale!_

[Footnote 1: Supposed to be rival whaling captains.]

* * * * *

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.--The name of the "unknown steamer laden with
gums and ivory," reported as having passed down the Congo last week,
has been discovered to be _The Dentist_.

* * * * *

[Illustration: "A SPRAT TO CATCH A WHALE!"]