H.M.S. "PINAFORE"
Deadeye. "I'm unpleasant to look at and my name's agin me, but I ain't as bad as I look!"
"What do you want with me at this time of night?" said Captain Corcoran.
Deadeye looked round mysteriously to make quite sure that they were unobserved.
"I've come," said he, "to give you warning!"
"Indeed!" exclaimed the Captain, who was delighted to think that there was a chance of getting rid of Deadeye without hurting his feelings. "Do you propose to leave the Navy, then?"
"No, no," said Deadeye, "I don't mean that. Listen!"
The Captain was disappointed, but he listened, nevertheless.
And in accordance with the standing rule that no one was ever to say anything to the Captain that could be sung, Dick Deadeye struck up as follows:
Kind Captain, I've important information
(Sing hey, the kind Commander that you are),
About a certain intimate relation
(Sing hey, the Merry Maiden and the Tar!).
The Captain (who had his book of rhymes handy, consulted it for a moment and then replied:
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