In the far reaches of the Canadian wilderness, a new arrival at the lumberjack camp was settling down for the night in the mens dormitory with the rest of the guys after his first day on the job. The lights were turned off and suddenly he hears one guy call out Twenty three! … there is a roar of laughter from all the beds around the room, and another guy calls out Forty seven … more laughter follows. This goes on for a few more minutes until finally everyone settles down and goes to sleep.

The next morning, the newbie asks one of the other lumberjacks what all the laughter and numbers was about. He is told that they have all been there for so long at this camp, that they know all the jokes, and that each one is merely given a number … so when it comes to joke telling after lights-out, it is just a simple case of saying the number of the joke that is being told.

So, that evening, after lights-out, the same thing happens.. Eighteen! … and there is general laughter … Thirty five … more of the same. Not wanting to be left out, the newbie decides to join in the joke telling and calls out One hundred and six! Not only is there laughter, but the lights are flashing on and off, guys are rolling on the floor laughing, cheering, and clapping … a regular standing ovation!

The next morning the newbie talks to one of the guys and says Well, Im glad you guys enjoyed the joke session so much last night, but I have to admit Im puzzled as to why there was so much laughter when I told the one numbered One Hundred and Six… how come?

His buddy replies Oh, so that was you! … Yeah, we loved it … You see, we havent heard that one before!