Skimbleshanks: The Railway Cat
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Skimbleshanks, the Railway Cat
There's a whisper down the line at eleven thirty-nine
When the Night Mail's ready to depart
Saying, "Skimble, where is Skimble? Has he gone to hunt the thimble?
We must find him, or the train can't start!"
All the guards and all the porters
And the Station Master's daughters
They are searching high and low
Saying, "Skimble, where is Skimble?
For unless he's very nimble
Then the Night Mail just can't go"
At eleven forty-two, then the signal's nearly due
And the passengers are frantic to a man
Then Skimble will appear
And he'll saunter to the rear
He's been busy in the luggage van
He gives one flash of his glass-green eyes
And the signal goes "All Clear"
And we're off at last for the northern part
Of the Northern Hemisphere
You may say that by and large
It is Skimble who's in charge
Of the Sleeping Car Express
From the Driver and the Guards
To the Bagmen playing cards
He will supervise them all, more or less
Down the corridor he paces
And examines all the faces
Of the travellers in the First and in the Third
He establishes control
By a regular patrol
And he'd know at once if anything occurred
He will watch you without winking
And he sees what you are thinking
And it's certain that he doesn't approve
Of hilarity and riot
So the folk are very quiet
When Skimble is about and on the move
You can play no pranks with Skimbleshanks
He's a Cat that cannot be ignored
So nothing goes wrong on the Northern Mail
When Skimbleshanks is aboard
Oh, it's very pleasant when
You have found your little den
With your name written up on the door
And the berth is very neat
With a newly folded sheet
And there's not a speck of dust on the floor
There is every sort of light
You can make it dark or bright
There's a handle that you turn to make a breeze
There's a funny little basin you're supposed to wash your face in
And a crank to shut the window if you sneeze
Then the Guard looks in politely
And will ask you very brightly
"Do you like your morning tea weak or strong?"
But Skimble's just behind him
And was ready to remind him
For Skimble won't let anything go wrong
And when you creep into your cosy berth
And pull up the counterpane
You ought to reflect that it's very nice
To know that you won't be bothered by mice
You can leave all that to the Railway Cat
The Cat of the Railway Train
In the watches of the night
He is always fresh and bright
Every now and then he has a cup of tea
With perhaps a drop of Scotch
While he's keeping on the watch
Only stopping here and there to catch a flea
You were fast asleep at Crewe
And so you never knew
That he was walking up and down the station
You were sleeping all the while he was busy at Carlisle
Where he greets the Station Master with elation
But you saw him at Dumfries
Where he speaks to the police
If there's anything they ought to know about
When you get to Gallowgate
There you do not have to wait
For Skimbleshanks will help you to get out
He gives you a wave of his long, brown tail
Which says, "I'll see you again!"
You'll meet without fail
On the Midnight Mail
The Cat of the Railway Train