then you watch the little poppy shells drop down into the tree-tops ever
so far below.
Don t you ever trip? said the troop-horse.
They say that when a mule trips you can split a hen s ear, said Billy.
Now and again perhaps a badly packed saddle will upset a mule, but it s
very seldom. I wish I could show you our business. It s beautiful. Why,
it took me three years to find out what the men were driving at. The
science of the thing is never to show up against the sky line, because,
if you do, you may get fired at. Remember that, young un. Always keep
hidden as much as possible, even if you have to go a mile out of your
way. I lead the battery when it comes to that sort of climbing.
Fired at without the chance of running into the people who are firing!
said the troop-horse, thinking hard. I couldn t stand that. I should
want to charge--with Dick.
Oh, no, you wouldn t. You know that as soon as the guns are in
position they ll do all the charging. That s scientific and neat. But
knives--pah!
The baggage-camel had been bobbing his head to and fro for some time
past, anxious to get a word in edgewise. Then I heard him say, as he
cleared his throat, nervously:
I--I--I have fought a little, but not in that climbing way or that
running way.
No. Now you mention it, said Billy, you don t look as though you were
made for climbing or running--much. Well, how was it, old Hay-bales?
The proper way, said the camel. We all sat down--
Oh, my crupper and breastplate! said the troop-horse under his breath.
Sat down!
We sat down--a hundred of us, the camel went on, in a big square, and
the men piled our packs and saddles, outside the square, and they fired
over our backs, the men did, on all sides of the square.
123