lunatic gnashes.

But his fire-gnomes he multiplies lately so fast
That the task of repressing them's trying;
The flare that they make and the heat that they cast
Are so great that the Fiend seems resolved in one blast
To set the Metropolis frying.

He blazes and blazes; SHAW gallops to snatch
His prey from its desperate danger;
But the Demon's a deuce of a rider to catch,
And it taxes brave SHAW to continue a match
For the fiery noctivagant ranger.

And if London is wise she assistance will call,
For the Water King needs the alliance
Of hands that are sturdy and limbs that are tall,
To give the Fire Demon a rattling good fall,
And set all his imps at defiance.

How often his fiery flame-banner outrolled
O'er London our bosoms has shaken!
The Water King never relaxes his hold,
But many a time, if the truth must be told,
We have just, only _just_, saved our bacon.

The Fire-Fiend's a foe of redoubtable might,
And it takes a stout fighter to floor him;
Yet, in spite of his flames, the ignipotent sprite
Has been licked up to now by our fire-quelling knight,
Who strides so triumphantly o'er him.

Look! look! 'tis our Water-King; doesn't he stand
Like Michael, o'ercoming the Dragon?
Oh! champion braver than he and his band
Of brazen-helmed heroes ne'er fought hand to hand,
Or emptied a flask or a flagon.

His sword is an axe, and his spear is a hose,
But Paladins famous in story
For gallantest charges and swashingest blows,
Though demons and dragons they met as their foes
Were ne'er more deserving of glory.

Back, lurid in air, for another regale,
The Fire-Fiend who's down but not settled,
With fresh bellowsed flame will return without fail,
And help to oppose him he'll thankfully hail
Our Water-King manly and mettled.

He is down, but not dead, and his dreadful red head
He again will be lifting to-morrow.
'Tis Hydrant 'gainst Hydra, and shall it be said
That for lack of assistance this demon so dread
Shall doom the great City to sorrow?

This fierce All-devourer is hungry as Time,
And would wolf all the world as food-fuel.
A champion we have--is his pose not sublime?--
And so let us help him--to fail were a crime--
To give the Fire Demon his gruel.

Fierce tyrant is Fire, and his foes are too few
For a Fiend so alert and so furious,
Would London be sa