Skimbleshanks The Railway Cat (cats) lyrics

Skimbleshanks the railway cat, the cat of the railway trainThere's a whisper down the line at eleven thirty-nineWhen the night mail's ready to departSaying, "Skimble, where is Skimble has he gone to hunt the thimbleWe must find him or the train can't start!"All the guards and all the porters and the stationmaster's daughtersWould be searching high and lowSaying "Skimble, where is Skimble for unless he's very nimbleThen the night mail just can't go"At eleven forty-two with the signal overdueAnd the passengers all frantic to a manThat's when I would appear and I'd saunter to the rearI'd been busy in the luggage van!Then he gave one flash of his glass-green eyesAnd the signal went "All clear!"They'd be off at last for the northern part of the northern hemisphere!Skimbleshanks, the railway cat, the cat of the railway trainYou might say that by and large it was me who was in chargeOf the sleeping car expressFrom the driver and the guards to the bagmen playing cardsI would supervise them all m
ore or lessDown the corridor he paces and examines all the facesOf the travellers in the first and the thirdHe established control by a regular patrolAnd he'd know at once if anything occurredHe would watch you without winking and he saw what you were thinkingAnd it's certain that he didn't approveOf hilarity and riot so that folk were very quietWhen Skimble was about and on the moveYou could play no pranks with SkimbleshanksHe's a cat that couldn't be ignoredSo nothing went wrong on the northern mailWhen Skimbleshanks was aboardIt was very pleasant when they'd found their little denWith their name written up on the doorAnd the berth was very neat with a newly folded sheet onAnd not a speck of dust on the floorThere was every sort of light you could make it dark or brightAnd a button you could turn to make a breezeAnd a funny little basin you're supposed to wash your face inAnd a crank to shut the window should you sneezeThen the guard looked in politely and would ask you very brightly
"Do you like your morning tea weak or strong?"But I just behind him and was ready to remind himFor Skimble won't let anything go wrongWhen they crept into their cozy berth and pulled the counterpaneThey ought to reflect that it was very niceTo know that they wouldn't be bothered by miceThey can leave all that to the railway catThe cat of the railway trainSkimbleshanks, the railway cat, the cat of the railway trainIn the watches of the night I was always fresh and brightEvery now and then I'd have a cup of teaWith perhaps a drop of scotch while I was busy keeping on the watchOnly stopping here and there to catch a fleaThey were fast asleep at CreweAnd so they never knew that I was walking up and down the stationThey were sleeping all the while I was busy at CarlisleWhere I met the stationmaster with elationThey might see me at Dumfries if I summoned the policeIf there was anything they ought to know aboutWhen they got to Gallowgate there they did not have to waitFor Skimbleshanks will he
lp them to get outAnd he gives you a wave of his long brown tailWhich says, "I'll see you again"You'll meet without fail on the midnight mailThe cat of the railway trainYou'll meet without fail on the midnight mailThe cat of the railway train