[These verses on an unsuccessful life-boat launch, with their most dramatic ending, were written after a visit to the Kirkcudbright life-boat station by a company of five poets. Their names are recorded in the first stanza and their ages were from six to ten years.] The life-boat she went out to sea And inside her there were but we, Biddy Paddy, John and Ant' David, William Charles and Jan't.

Inside her, too, there was the crew, Coxswain, helmsman and others too, Gallant sailors full of dare That sailed upon the ocean clear.

We found a wreck, the crew was drowned, We went on deck and looked around, We found a little lap dog true, Its owners were drowned in the ocean blue.

So we went home downhearted and sad Because we had rescued none, But the next morn we were spirited and glad Because they'd been pirates, ever so bad.