Part 29 (1/2)

And a double-tongued squib to keep in awe [9]

The chaps that flout at me!

II

From morn till night we'll booze a ken, [10]

And we'll pa.s.s the bingo round; [11]

At dusk we'll make our lucky, and then, [12]

With our nags so fresh, and our merry men, We'll scour the lonely ground.

And if the swell resist our ”Stand!”

We'll squib without a joke; [13]

For I'm sn.i.g.g.e.r'd if we will be trepanned [14]

By the blarneying jaw of a knowing hand, And thus be lagged to a foreign land, Or die by an artichoke. [15]

III

But should the traps be on the sly, For a change we'll have a crack; [16]

The richest cribs shall our wants supply-- [17]

Or we'll knap a fogle with fingers fly, [18]

When the swell one turns his back. [19]

The flimsies we can smash as well, [20]

Or a ticker deftly prig:-- [21]

But if ever a pal in limbo fell, [22]

He'd sooner be scragg'd at once than tell; [23]

Though the hum-box patterer talked of h.e.l.l, [24]

And the beak wore his nattiest wig. [25]

[1: police spy; share of the booty]

[2: house was burgled]

[3: gentlemanly]

[4: police-officers]

[5: Old Bailey pleaders]

[6: prison]

[7: gunpowder, hand dextrous at thieving]

[8: thieves]

[9: double-barrelled gun]

[10: drink freely]

[11: brandy]

[12: depart]

[13: fire]

[14: transported]

[15: hanging [hearty choke]]

[16: burglary]