Mount—march, Ikonas! Stand to your ’orses again!
Mop off the frost on the saddles, mop up the miles on the plain.
Out go the stars in the dawnin’, up goes our dust to the sky,
Walk—trot, Ikonas! Trek jou,[3] the old M. I.!
[1] Number according to taste and service of audience.
[2] Horse-holders when in action, and therefore generally under cover.
[3] Get ahead.
COLUMNS
(MOBILE COLUMNS OF THE LATER WAR)
Out o’ the wilderness, dusty an’ dry
(Time, an’ ’igh time to be trekkin’ again!)
’Oo is it ’eads to the Detail Supply?
(A section, a pompom, an’ six ’undred men.)
’Ere comes the clerk with ’is lantern an’ keys
(Time, an’ ’igh time to be trekkin’ again!)
‘Surplus of everything—draw what you please
‘For the section, the pompom, an’ six ’undred men.’
‘What are our orders an’ where do we lay?’
(Time, an’ ’igh time to be trekkin’ again!)
‘You came after dark—you will leave before day,
‘You section, you pompom, an’ six ’undred men!’
Down the tin street, ’alf awake an’ unfed,
’Ark to ’em blessin’ the Gen’ral in bed!
Now by the church an’ the outspan they wind—
Over the ridge an’ it’s all lef’ be’ind
For the section, etc.