G'morning Vern, 

 VH> An' after a while Adam says, "I'm really confused now, Lord.  I thought
 VH> I understood about th' balance between good and evil, but this lovely
 VH> island, wid all th' beautiful people, an' th' singin' an' all --
 VH> where's the evil to balance it?"

 VH> An' th' Lord says, "Did yez notice who I give 'em for
neighbors?" :-)

It twas Hamish and George that were with Paddy when the trusty 
trio got nicked for running guns and drugs through France to a 
`friend' in Spain,  and all three received the death sentence - 
Madame Guillotine was to take their heads off.

After the final breakfast, George eased a fleck of marmalade out 
of his teeth and volunteered to go first.  The guillotinist 
offered him his choice of resting position,  and George lay down 
facing the basket.  The blade was hoisted up the frame, released 
and fell like a thunderbolt - and jammed in the frame an inch from 
the imperturbable neck.  "I say", said George, "What bad luck !"
- because he knew that under Gallic law he was now free to go.

Hamish chose to lie in a recovery position, on his side, so he 
could fix a braw bonny blue eye on the sweating guillotinist as he 
wrestled the blade up again after all the repairs and fixing. The 
Scot saw the fervour with which the froggie pulled the release 
lever, and lived long enough to see utter despair slump the 
shoulders as the Gualoise fell from the ashen lips.  The blade had 
jammed again - "Hoots, mon, I'm awa'" and Hamish disappeared with 
one swirl of the kilt.

Paddy had been observing all the fuss with perturbation (his 
little secret friend) and he choose to lie on his back so he could 
see how well they'd fixed the cranky device,  wriggling with some 
excitement as he watched the sharp blade climbing away from him.
His heart leapt when the lever clicked and he saw the distant 
blade fall towards him - and he froze when he saw it jam for a 
third time just centimetres away from his throat...

"Roight !", he yelled with excitement, "I see what your trouble 
is..."

:-))
 
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