“Well, I’ll tell you what folks say of it:”
‘All sea and san’s,
Out of the world and into St. Ann’s.’
“That’s what they say, and if I’m wrong you may call me a liar.”
“And Squire Moyle?” Taffy persevered. “What kind of man is he?”
Joby turned and eyed him severely. “Look here, sonny. I got my living to get.”
This silenced Taffy for a long while, but he picked up his courage again by degrees. There was a small window at his back, and he twisted himself round, and nodded to his mother and grandmother inside the van. He could not hear what they answered, for the sailor-boys were singing at the top of their voices:
“I will sing you One, O!
What is your One, O?
Number One sits all alone, and ever more shall be-e so.”
“They’re home ’pon leave,” said Joby. The song went on and reached Number Seven:
“I will sing you Seven, O!
What is your Seven, O?
Seven be seven stars in the ship a-sailing round in Heaven, O!”
One of the boys leaned from the roof and twitched Taffy by the hair. “Hullo, nipper! Did you ever see a ship of stars?” He grinned and pulled open his sailor’s jumper and singlet; and there, on his naked breast, Taffy saw a ship tattooed, with three masts, and a half-circle of stars above it, and below it the initials W. P.