COULD SING IT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9192, 23 March 1908, Page 4

COULD SING IT.

V Several yeans ago, on one of our northern bay©, when, as yet, steamers were infrequent visitors, a small boat used to ply, touching at various points, according as its freight or the weather demanded. The crew was somewhat limited, consisting of the captain, the first mate — whose name was Barnabas — and the cook, John, who, when stress of work required, also acted as second mate. John was an excellent cook and a fairly good sailor, but Ije was afflicted with an impediment in his speech, which made him somewhat backward in expressing himself, and was especially annoying if, for any reason, he became excited. At such times, the more he wanted to say something, the less he was able to say it. Fortunately, however, tie could sing as straight as anyone. One day th© captain wae below taking a nap, while Barnabas- and John were running the boat. A sudden squall happened to come up, and a puff ot wind brought the boom round with such unexpected violence as to knock the unwary Barnabas overboard. Thereupon John rushed into the cabin in tbe wildest excitement to inform the captain of what had occurred, but, as usual, he was unable to get out a coherent sentence. "B-b-b-b "\ he stuttered, until the captain, in a rage, shouted, " Tl_underation, man! Sing it, if you can't say it " ; and John, catching at the happy suggestion, sang: Overboard' is Barnabas, Half a mile astern of lis The boat was immediately put about, and the luckless Barnabas rescued.