And then follow
"The British Grenadiers," "Billy Taylor," "The Siege of Seringapatam,"
"Three Jolly Postboys," and other vociferous songs in rapid succession,
including "The Chesapeake and Shannon," a song lately introduced in
honour of old Brooke; and when they come to the words,
"Brave Broke he waved his sword, crying, Now, my lads, aboard,
And we'll stop their playing Yankee-doodle-dandy oh!"
you expect the roof to come down. The sixth and fifth know that "brave
Broke" of the Shannon was no sort of relation to our old Brooke. The
fourth form are uncertain in their belief, but for the most part hold
that old Brooke was a midshipman then on board his uncle's ship. And the
lower school never doubt for a moment that it was our old Brooke who led
the boarders, in what capacity they care not a straw. During the pauses
the bottled-beer corks fly rapidly, and the talk is fast and merry, and
the big boys--at least all of them who have a fellow-feeling for dry
throats--hand their mugs over their shoulders to be emptied by the small
ones who stand round behind.
Then Warner, the head of the house, gets up and wants to speak; but he
can't, for every boy knows what's coming. And the big boys who sit at
the tables pound them and cheer; and the small boys who stand behind
pound one another, and cheer, and rush about the hall cheering.
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