[nilesfunnies] Fw: AWOL

A sailor was caught AWOL as he tried to sneak on board his ship at
about 3 a.m.

The chief petty officer spied him and ordered the sailor to stop.

Upon hearing the sailor's lame explanation for his tardiness, the
officer ordered the sailor, "Take this broom and sweep every link on
this anchor chain by morning or it's the brig for you!"

The sailor picked up the broom and commenced performing his charge.

As he began to sweep, a tern landed on the broom handle.

The sailor yelled at the bird to leave, but it didn't.

He picked the tern off the broom handle, giving the bird a toss.

The bird left, only to return and light once again on the broom handle.

The sailor went through the same routine all over again, with the
same result.

He couldn't get any cleaning done because he could only sweep at the
chain once or twice before the blasted bird returns.

When morning came, so did the chief petty officer, to check up on
his wayward sailor.

"What in the heck have you been doing all night? This chain is no
cleaner than when you started! What have you to say for yourself,
sailor?" barked the chief.

"Honest, chief," came the reply, "I tossed a tern all night and
couldn't sweep a link!"