Маугли
Her Majesty’s Servants
"Fearfulandhorrible,Billy!Theycameintoourlineswhilewewereasleep.D’youthinkthey’llkillus?"
"I’veaverygreatmindtogiveyouanumber-onekicking,"saidBilly."Theideaofafourteen-handmulewithyourtrainingdisgracingthebatterybeforethisgentleman!"
"Gently,gently!"saidthetroop-horse."Remembertheyarealwayslikethistobeginwith.ThefirsttimeIeversawaman(itwasinAustraliawhenIwasathree-year-old)Iranforhalfaday,andifI’dseenacamel,Ishouldhavebeenrunningstill."
NearlyallourhorsesfortheEnglishcavalryarebroughttoIndiafromAustralia,andarebrokeninbythetroopersthemselves.
"Trueenough,"saidBilly."Stopshaking,youngster.ThefirsttimetheyputthefullharnesswithallitschainsonmybackIstoodonmyforelegsandkickedeverybitofitoff.Ihadn’tlearnedtherealscienceofkickingthen,butthebatterysaidtheyhadneverseenanythinglikeit."
"Butthiswasn’tharnessoranythingthatjingled,"saidtheyoungmule."YouknowIdon’tmindthatnow,Billy.ItwasThingsliketrees,andtheyfellupanddownthelinesandbubbled;andmyhead-ropebroke,andIcouldn’tfindmydriver,andIcouldn’tfindyou,Billy,soIranoffwith—withthesegentlemen."
"H’m!"saidBilly."AssoonasIheardthecamelswerelooseIcameawayonmyownaccount.Whenabattery—ascrew-gunmulecallsgun-bullocksgentlemen,hemustbeverybadlyshakenup.
