From: Elroy <unm...@cn...> - 2009-08-19 11:15:12
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!'" "He--he--he!" chuckled the chaplain in his feeble way, he and Mr Jellaby coming to a stop, I was glad to see, close to where I stood. "That was funny! Very, very funny!" "Nothing to what's coming," went on Mr Jellaby, pleased that his efforts at comic narrative under such difficulties had been so far successful, the chaplain not objecting to the secular amusement from any conscientious scruples. "Well, as soon as the ignorant chaw-bacon chap yelled out this, which naturally made everyone who heard it laugh, although they put the mistake down to the poor fellow's provincial pronunciation, he turns to the man who had previously instructed him and asks in a proud sort of way, as if seeking praise for his performance, `Say, how did I sing out that, chum?' "`Very well,' replied the other, who, if he had advised him in good faith in the first instance, on now seeing the result of his teaching was anxious to take a rise out of the `stupid jolly,' as he thought him. `But, chummy, you'll have to do different next time.' "`Oh!' exclaimed the marine. `What shall I have to sing out, then?' "`You called "Live boy" at Two Bells; and so it'll be "Dead boy" when it strikes Three Bells. It's always turn and turn about aboard ship.' "`Yes, that's fair enough and I thank you kindly,' answered the poor marine, sucking in the other's gammon li |