Lyman and Frederick and Jim, one day, Set out in a great big ship-- Steamed to the ocean adown the bay Out of a New York slip. "Where are you going and what is your game?" The people asked those three. "Darned if we know; but all the same Happy as larks are we; And happier still we're going to be!" Said Lyman And Frederick And Jim.
The people laughed "Aha, oho! Oho, aha!" laughed they; And while those three went sailing so Some pirates steered that way. The pirates they were laughing, too-- The prospect made them glad; But by the time the job was through Each of them pirates, bold and bad, Had been done out of all he had By Lyman And Frederick And Jim.
Days and weeks and months they sped, Painting that foreign clime A beautiful, bright vermilion red-- And having a ---- of a time! 'T was all so gaudy a lark, it seemed As if it could not be, And some folks thought it a dream they dreamed Of sailing that foreign sea, But I 'll identify you these three-- Lyman And Frederick And Jim.
Lyman and Frederick are bankers and sich And Jim is an editor kind; The first two named are awfully rich And Jim ain't far behind! So keep your eyes open and mind your tricks, Or you are like to be In quite as much of a Tartar fix As the pirates that sailed the sea And monkeyed with the pardners three, Lyman And Frederick And Jim!