Then down the vessel’s side he stepp’d, And down the queen stepp’d she. And Puss was handed down perforce To join their company.
Alongside lay the king’s canoe, Well mann’d with negroes ten; Who swift row’d off the royal pair, With Puss all snug between.
Then sung the Captain--“all hand’s up, The anchor haul amain: Unfurl the sails, and point the prow For British lands again.”
Tis done: from out the tranquil bay Our goodly vessel glides; And, homeward bound, on Ocean’s back Right gallantly she rides.
NOW when the merchant gave to Dick That kitten for his own, No thing he had alive or dead On earth save it alone.
And so enamour’d had he grown Of this his property, That sooth his heart did sorely smart When Puss was sent to sea.
Then all was lonely as before; Again he rued his plight: He moped in solitude all day, And lay awake all night.
So dismal and so desolate The granary now it seem’d, He long’d in the green fields to be, And where the sunshine gleam’d.
Alas! how weak our nature is Its cravings to resist: For Dick betray’d his master’s trust To follow his own list.
He stroll’d abroad into the fields, He knew not where nor why; Regardless of his duty quite About the granary.
Now as it chanced the new Lord Mayor Of London, that same day, To meet the king at Westminster In state had ta’en his way.
With such a charge the city-barge Did proudly flaunt along: And the bells of Bow were nothing slow To greet him with--_ding, dong_.
While truant Dick all sad and sick Was wandering in despair, Hark! hark! the music of Bow-bells Came wafted on the air.
They seem’d to say--_Turn Whit-ting-ton_: _Again turn Whit-ting-ton_: And when he listen’d still, they said-- _Lord May-or of Lon-don_.
Again he heard the self-same words Repeated by the chimes; Yet trusted not, till he had heard The same an hundred times.
“It must be so: and I will go Back to my granary. Oh shame! to be so false while he Was true and kind to me.”
He turn’d, and reach’d the granary Before the fall of day: And not a living soul e’er knew That he had run away.
This foolish prank he sorely rued; But now that it was o’er, And he all right again, he vow’d He ne’er would do so more.
And so that night in peace he slept, And so to joy he rose: But while he slept, he thought he trod Upon the Lord Mayor’s toes.