The Barman

Where do you think you're going boy the Barman said to me
We don't close 'til eleven thirty and I did not give you leave
Then he led me to his counting house to talk in privacy
When Catiline planned rebellion, oh, to please the gods of war
They drank the blood of a serving man to bind them to the cause
You may toast our misdemeanours boy, as we will drink to yours
But I'm not the martial kind and I have no military skills
I don't know what it's like to fight and I don't want to know what it's like to kill
But he would not heed my answer poured out a measure to settle the deal
The clock in the old town square had just struck two again
Far across the bay a signal light was sending
And for miles around you could feel the fog descending
Armed and scarcely sober then he led his men outside
But I lost them in the shadows where they did not see me hide
And they gave me up for vengeance when the merchantmen arrived
So I went and found the Garda and I told them all I knew
Told them the names of his accomplices the strength of the cutter's crew
I told them the tides I told them the cargoes
and the time that the boat was due
Arquebus from sentry seizing then and swiftly to the shore
We ran them down with wolfhounds and sent them by the board
And I tipped a wink to the Barman to thank him for the sport
The clock in the old town square had just struck two again
Far across the bay a signal light was sending
And for miles around you could feel the fog descending
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