"The boys will hear us."
"No: they are fighting away; they won't notice."
It was a tongue-fight, but that may be as absorbing as a fist-fight.
"You know 'Reuben Ranzo'?"
"Yes."
"Well, sing in a whisper and pull."
The bar was inserted into the capstan, and the boys, as they shoved on the bar, sang softly,--
"O poor Reuben Ranzo!
Ranzo, boys, Ranzo!"
"That's the chorus, Johnny. Sing the other part. Shove hard but sing easy."
"Oh, Reuben was no sailor.
Chorus--O poor Reuben Ranzo!
Ranzo, boys, Ranzo!
O poor Reuben Ranzo!
Ranzo, boys, Ranzo!"