Page 11 of By Marsh and By Moor
Jed leaned on his shovel, wiping a hand across his forehead.The chilly air was unpleasant on his sweat-slick skin, but the sun soon warmed him as they climbed a hillock to find some drier ground to sit on.
Today, the marsh was luminous under a clear, blue sky.Placid cows flicked their tails in the fields, and a frog croaked contentedly from his nearby hiding place.After Jed had finished eating, he lay back in the grass, whistling under his breath.
Solomon nudged him with an elbow.“Go on, you may as well sing the words.”
Laughing, Jed complied.
“Oh the cook is in the galley
Making duff so handy,
Way, haul away, we'll haul away Joe!
And the captain's in his cabin
Drinkin' wine and brandy...”
He had a strong voice, which had been much in demand on the forecastle, and he let it ring out across the marsh.
Solomon watched him, foot tapping in pleasure.
“You’ve an uncommon fine voice,” he said when Jed had brought the song to a rousing end.
It was spoken warmly, and Jed regarded him in surprise.
Unexpectedly, Solomon coloured.But the next thing he said was in his more usual dry tone, with a hint of teasing.“That the only song you know, I suppose?”
“Course not,” Jed said, more than willing to rise to the bait.He launched immediately into another song that had been a great favourite among his messmates.
“Our ship she lies in harbour,
Just ready to set sail,
May heaven guard my lovely maid,
Till I return one day...”
There were many verses, some sweet and some ribald.The final one ended with:
“...And she sits in her bower
A-waiting there for me,
A-waiting for her own true love
Returning home from sea.”
“And have you?”Solomon asked when the song was over.
“What?”
“A sweetheart waiting for you.Or a wife and childer, maybe?”
“Oh!No.”
“Good.I mean”—his lip quirked—“not that I wish you a life of loneliness, but that they weren’t left alone without you when you were pressed.”
“No, no, nothing like that.”
