“Very well. Three minutes is allowed. When the time is up I’ll call ‘Time’ and you will at once stop. Ready? Everyone supplied with pencil and paper?”
“All set!” “Let ’er go, sir!”
“Now!” said Mr. Matthews, his eyes on his watch. The laughter was stilled and fifteen pens or pencils were poised over as many sheets of paper. Then mutters arose and feet shuffled. “Say, what rhymes with ‘Ford’?” asked Timmins of Stanley in an audible whisper. Chuckles arose and De Vitt answered, “‘Flivver,’ Tim!” Dick was still struggling when the time was up and his second line was lacking a rhyme.
“Now we will read the results in turn,” said Mr. Matthews. “Suppose you begin, Harris.”
“Not prepared, sir,” answered “Tip” Harris.
Three others answered to the same effect and it was Cashin who bashfully produced the first composition, as follows:
“Apollo had nothing on Goody Ford.
He’s cross-eyed and lantern-jawed.”
“Ingenious,” commented Mr. Matthews, when the laughter had stopped, “but rather a libel on Ford. You’re next, Elders.”
“I didn’t get mine done, sir. I think your watch was fast!”