Маугли
Her Majesty’s Servants
"Oh,begyourpardon,"saidthemule."It’stoodarktoseemuch.Aren’tthesecamelstoosickeningforanything?Iwalkedoutofmylinestogetalittlepeaceandquiethere."
"Mylords,"saidthecamelhumbly,"wedreamedbaddreamsinthenight,andwewereverymuchafraid.Iamonlyabaggagecamelofthe39thNativeInfantry,andIamnotasbraveasyouare,mylords."
"Thenwhydidn’tyoustayandcarrybaggageforthe39thNativeInfantry,insteadofrunningallroundthecamp?"saidthemule.
"Theyweresuchverybaddreams,"saidthecamel."Iamsorry.Listen!Whatisthat?Shallwerunonagain?"
"Sitdown,"saidthemule,"oryou’llsnapyourlongstick-legsbetweentheguns."Hecockedoneearandlistened."Bullocks!"hesaid."Gunbullocks.Onmyword,youandyourfriendshavewakedthecampverythoroughly.Ittakesagooddealofproddingtoputupagun-bullock."
Iheardachaindraggingalongtheground,andayokeofthegreatsulkywhitebullocksthatdragtheheavysiegegunswhentheelephantswon’tgoanynearertothefiring,cameshoulderingalongtogether.Andalmoststeppingonthechainwasanotherbatterymule,callingwildlyfor"Billy."
"That’soneofourrecruits,"saidtheoldmuletothetroophorse."He’scallingforme.Here,youngster,stopsquealing.Thedarkneverhurtanybodyyet."
Thegun-bullockslaydowntogetherandbeganchewingthecud,buttheyoungmulehuddledclosetoBilly.
"Things!"hesaid.
