Johnnie's First Moose

De cloud is hide de moon, but dere's plain-

    tee light above,

Steady Johnnie, steady—kip your head down

    low,

Move de paddle leetle quicker, an' de ole canoe

    we'll shove

         T'roo de water nice an' quiet

         For de place we're goin' try it

         Is beyon' de silver birch dere

         You can see it lak a church dere

W'en we're passin' on de corner w'ere de lilly

    flower grow.

Was n't dat correc' w'at I'm tolin' you jus

    now?

Steady Johnnie, steady—kip your head down

    low,

Never min', I'll watch behin'— me — an' you

    can watch de bow

         An' you'll see a leetle clearer

         W'en canoe is comin' nearer—

         Dere she is—now easy, easy,

         For de win' is gettin' breezy,

An' we don't want not'ing smell us, till de

    horn begin to blow—

I remember long ago w'en ma fader tak' me out,

Steady Johnnie, steady—kip your head down

    low,

Jus' de way I'm takin' you, sir, hello! was

    dat a shout?

         Seems to me I t'ink I'm hearin'

         Somet'ing stirrin' on de clearin'

         W'ere it stan' de lumber shaintee,

         If it's true, den yuo'll have plaintee

Work to do in half a minute, if de moose don't

    start to go.

An' now we're on de shore, let us hide de ole

    canoe,

Steady Johnnie, steady—kip your head down

    low,

An' lie among de rushes, dat's bes' t'ing we

    can do,

         For de ole boy may be closer

         Dan anybody know, sir,

         An' look out you don't be shakin'

         Or de bad shot you'll be makin'

But I'm feelin' sam' way too, me, w'en I

    was young, also—

You ready for de call? here goes for number

    wan,

Steady Johnnie, steady—kip your head down

    low,

Did you hear how nice I do it, an' how it

    travel on

         Till ir reach across de reever

         Dat'll geev' some moose de fever!

         Wait now, Johnnie, don't you worry,

         No use bein' on de hurry,

But lissen for de answer, it'll come before you

    know.

For w'y you jomp lak dat? w'at's matter wit'

    your ear?

Steady, Johnnie, steady-kip your head down

    low—

Tak' your finger off de trigger, dat was only

    bird you hear,

         Can't you tell de pine tree crickin'

         Or de boule frog w'en he's spikin' ?

         Don't you know de grey owl singin'

         From de beeg moose w'en he's ringin'

Out hees challenge on de message your ole

    gran' fader blow?

You're lucky boy to-night, wit' hunter man

    lak me!

Steady, Johnnie, steady-kip your head down

    low—

Can tole you all about it! H-s-s-h! dat's

    somet'ing now I see,

         Dere he's comin' t'roo de bushes,

         So get down among de rushes,

         Hear heem walk! I t'ink, by tonder,

         He mus' go near fourteen honder!

Dat's de feller I been watchin' all de evening,

    I dunno.

I'll geev' anoder call, jus' a leetle wan or

    two,

Steady, Johnnie, steady-kip your head dwon

    low—

W'en he see dere's no wan waitin' I wonder

    w'at he'll do?

         But look out for here he's comin'

         Sa-pris-ti! ma heart is drummin'!

         You can never get heem nearer

         An' de moon is shinin' clearer,

W'at a fine shot you'll be havin'! now

    Johnnie let her go!

Bang! bang! you got heem sure! an' he'll

    never run away

Nor feed among de lily on de shore of Wes-

    sonneau,

So dat's your firse moose Johnnie! wall! re-

    member all I say—

         Does n't matter w'at you 're chasin',

         Does n't matter w'at you 're facin',

         Only watch de t'ing you're doin'

         If you don't, ba gosh! you 're ruin

An' steady, Johnnie, steady-kip your head

    down low.