Маугли
Her Majesty’s Servants
Whoareyoufellowsonthegroundthere?"
Thegunbullocksrolledtheircuds,andansweredbothtogether:"TheseventhyokeofthefirstgunoftheBigGunBattery.Wewereasleepwhenthecamelscame,butwhenweweretrampledonwegotupandwalkedaway.Itisbettertoliequietinthemudthantobedisturbedongoodbedding.Wetoldyourfriendherethattherewasnothingtobeafraidof,butheknewsomuchthathethoughtotherwise.Wah!"
Theywentonchewing.
"Thatcomesofbeingafraid,"saidBilly."Yougetlaughedatbygun-bullocks.Ihopeyoulikeit,youngun."
Theyoungmule’steethsnapped,andIheardhimsaysomethingaboutnotbeingafraidofanybeefyoldbullockintheworld.Butthebullocksonlyclickedtheirhornstogetherandwentonchewing.
"Now,don’tbeangryafteryou’vebeenafraid.That’stheworstkindofcowardice,"saidthetroop-horse."Anybodycanbeforgivenforbeingscaredinthenight,Ithink,iftheyseethingstheydon’tunderstand.We’vebrokenoutofourpickets,againandagain,fourhundredandfiftyofus,justbecauseanewrecruitgottotellingtalesofwhipsnakesathomeinAustraliatillwewerescaredtodeathofthelooseendsofourhead-ropes."
"That’sallverywellincamp,"saidBilly."I’mnotabovestampedingmyself,forthefunofthething,whenIhaven’tbeenoutforadayortwo.Butwhatdoyoudoonactiveservice?"
"Oh,that’squiteanothersetofnewshoes,"saidthetroophorse.
