The gun bullocks rolled their cuds, and answered both together: The
seventh yoke of the first gun of the Big Gun Battery. We were asleep
when the camels came, but when we were trampled on we got up and walked
away. It is better to lie quiet in the mud than to be disturbed on good
bedding. We told your friend here that there was nothing to be afraid
of, but he knew so much that he thought otherwise. Wah!
They went on chewing.
That comes of being afraid, said Billy. You get laughed at by
gun-bullocks. I hope you like it, young un.
The young mule s teeth snapped, and I heard him say something about not
being afraid of any beefy old bullock in the world. But the bullocks
only clicked their horns together and went on chewing.
Now, don t be angry after you ve been afraid. That s the worst kind
of cowardice, said the troop-horse. Anybody can be forgiven for being
scared in the night, I think, if they see things they don t understand.
We ve broken out of our pickets, again and again, four hundred and fifty
of us, just because a new recruit got to telling tales of whip snakes at
home in Australia till we were scared to death of the loose ends of our
head-ropes.
That s all very well in camp, said Billy. I m not above stampeding
myself, for the fun of the thing, when I haven t been out for a day or
two. But what do you do on active service?
Oh, that s quite another set of new shoes, said the troop horse. Dick
Cunliffe s on my back then, and drives his knees into me, and all I have
to do is to watch where I am putting my feet, and to keep my hind legs
well under me, and be bridle-wise.
What s bridle-wise? said the young mule.
By the Blue Gums of the Back Blocks, snorted the troop-horse, do you
mean to say that you aren t taught to be bridle-wise in your business?
How can you do anything, unless you can spin round at once when the
rein is pressed on your neck? It means life or death to your man, and of
121