_The Reciter_-- "We wouldn't have boarded her, after _that_, for all the treasure on earth, So we sailed away--to the sweet salute of a peal of childish mirth!"
_The Chirpy Man_ (_resuming his seat, much relieved, and almost as chirpy as ever, to his neighbours, confidentially_). I'm all right agen now. It was takin' a glass o' stout on top of black currant pudden _done_ it, yer know!
[_This piece of information is coldly received, which evidently both surprises and pains him; the Pirate brings his experiences to an end by relating how he realised his effects, and retired from business on a modest competence, and the "Daisy" regains the Pier._
After long fight and strenuous defence, Tenacity tremendous, toil immense, The garrison surrenders! 'Tis the doom Of desperate war; and though a sombre gloom Sits on each brow, each brow is lifted high, No petulant pusillanimity Makes poor this last parade of stout defenders, Or shames this most unwilling of surrenders. Six lingering years, and more, of hot attack, By confident cool valour beaten back! Six baffling years of sortie, and of sally, Sudden alarum, stubborn stand, stout rally! How the besiegers in their bannered host Banded at first around this bastion'd post, In sanguine, fierce assault, and shook their spears, Strong hopes derided, mocked at fancied fears. The Citadel's defence was all in vain, They vowed; a year should end the brief campaign; Yet year to year succeeded slow, and still The garrison held out. Strategic skill And not impetuous onset nought availed; The battering-ram and scaling-ladder failed. Brief breaches scarcely made were swift repaired, United still all deadly arms they dared, Those linked defenders who, aforetime foes, Their lately-banded ranks could firmly close Against old friends, now common enemies. Black CECIL was Commander, BALFOUR brave The Union Standard in his wake would wave, The _Reiter_ JOACHIM, of German breed, And the Scot swordster RITCHIE, good at need, With him, the fox-eyed Freelance, JOE DE BRUM, Brave with the trumpet, valiant with the drum, Proud to be capped and curled with Cavaliers, The Gentlemen of England, now his peers,-- These, and a many more good men and true, The ramparts manned, the warning clarion blew; Stood in the breach, and to the bastion swarmed, Whene'er loud blares that citadel alarmed.