[Verse 1]

Another weary fourteen hours

Spent scouring this ragged patch of so-called town

And no end in sight. I told the boys, "Call it a night,"

And hit the pub

Two dozen years upon the force

Have taught me how to read a man better than most

The man at the bar had a story of his own

And an itch to tell

[Chorus 1]

"A round for the room," I said

"And put it on my tab"

We’d been a fortnight here in town

And the barman recognized my badge

I tipped my glass

All seemingly offhand

At the gentleman

[Verse 2]

He said, "I thank you for the drink

And beg your pardon for my meager company

I can’t say as I have very much to say

At least not of late"

I smiled to put him at his ease

Explained my own presence in town indifferently

"I’m on the trail of a pair of vicious fiends

Who absconded east"

[Chorus 2]

"I've heard the tale," he said

"The press does love it so

They say they vanished hide and hair

And left their families in the ground"

I swallowed back my bitter pride

And allowed that it was true

[Verse 3]

"But come now, that’s not what’s on your mind"

He said that I was more than right

"Good constable, you cannot know

How sorely I’ve been wronged

By my own flesh and blood

My vile and most ungrateful son

Ran away to join the carnival last month

His path went cold in the forest by my home

Now I am all alone"

[Chorus 3]

And at that moment Providence displayed its hand

The answer so unknowingly

Delivered by this wretched man

I scarce remember my good-byes

I was in the street so fast

I threw wide the hostel doors and shouted up my men

"We'll need provisions for the road

And all the horses you can get

I know where our quarry may have gone

We’ve a carnival to catch"