Sum time since a ship that was tyken in coal,
At a place at North Shields they ca' Peggy's Hole,
And the keels a' the neet wad lie alangside,
To be ready next morn to gan up wi' the tide.
Fal, lal, &c.
Noo yen o' the skippers had sie fish-huiks o' claws,
That deil a bit rope cud be kept frae his paws;
For as sune as the men were a' gyen to sleep,
Then on board o' the ship wor Geordy wad creep.
Fal, lal, &c.
And devil a thing could be left on the deck,
But Geordy, as sure as a gun, wad it neck,
And into the huddock wad stow it away,
And gan off to the rope-shop, and sell it next day.
Fal, lal, &c.
Noo the mate o' the ship was determin'd to watch,
To see if he cuddent the thievish rogue catch,—
So to hev a bit fun, an' to give him a freet,
He swore he wad sit up the whole o' that neet.
Fal, lal, &c.
So he gat a lang gun, and for to begin,
A greet clot o' blud and sum poother pat in;
Noo he dident wait lang, for sune ower the bows
I' the muinleet he saw him creep up like a moose.
Fal, lal, &c.
He click'd up a bucket, and was gawn wiv his prize,
When the mate he let flee reet between his twe eyes.
When the skipper found blud all over his fyece,
"Aw's deed!" out he roars, and dropp'd down in the place.
Fal, lal, &c.
Noo the Pee-dee he heard the crack o' the gun,
So he speal'd up the side, and tiv Geordy he run:
"Oh, Geordy! Oh Geordy! just haud up thy heed,
An' tell us, maw hinny, if thou hez gyen deed!"
Fal, lal, &c.
The skipper he groan'd, and kick'd up his heels,
'Gude bye, canny Pee-dee! Gude bye tiv maw keels!
Aw'll never see Mally nor bairns ony mair,
For if aw's not deed, aw's speechless, aw'll swear!"
Fal, lal, &c.
Wiv a greet deal to de they gat him to rise;
But when he gat up, what was his surprise,
When he sought for the hole where the bullet had gyen,
But sought it in vain, for he cuddent find yen.
Fal, lal, &c.
"By gock!" out he roars, "aw ken how it's been—
Sic a comical trick, aw's sure, never was seen;
Faix, bad as it is, it might hev been warse,
It's come in at maw gob, and gyen out at——."
Fal, lal, &c.