“Nothin’s been heard o’ any on ’em from that day to this;” replied Hearty.
“But war’nt there a sort o’ song which ’twas said the crew of the ship used to sing?” enquired Climberkin.
“To be sure there was,” cried Scrumpydike, who had for some time looked more gloomy than usual; “I’ve heard it many’s a time; and if you’ve a mind to listen, though I ar’nt no great shakes o’ a singing bird, I’ll give you the only original version as used to be sung by the free mariners.”
“I don’t want to hear none o’ such villainous ditties!” exclaimed Hearty, as he left the circle.
“Who axed you, old Snapdragon?” responded the other, and presently with more animation than music, sung the following words:—
“Our ship sails on the wave,
On the wave, on the wave,
Our ship sails on the wave, Captain Death!
For free mariners are we, and we ride the stormy sea,
And our captain still shall be,
Captain Death! Captain Death!
Our captain still shall be Captain Death!
“Our black flag proudly floats,
Proudly floats, proudly floats,
Our black flag proudly floats, Captain Death!
And down upon the prey, we boldly bear away,
And we quickly make them pay,
Captain Death! Captain Death!
We quickly make them pay, Captain Death!
“We stifle ev’ry cry,
Ev’ry cry, ev’ry cry,
We stifle ev’ry cry, Captain Death!
And then we spread our sails, that are filled with welcome gales:
Singing, ‘Dead men tell no tales,
Captain Death! Captain Death!’
Singing, ‘Dead men tell no tales, Captain Death!’
“Bring out our golden store,
Golden store, golden store;
Bring out our golden store, Captain Death!
And let’s send the wine-cup round, to forget the dead and drown’d,
And rejoice we’re safe and sound,
Captain Death! Captain Death!
And rejoice we’re safe and sound, Captain Death!