Маугли
Her Majesty’s Servants
"Themanwhowalksatyourhead—Orsitsonyourback—Orholdsthenoserope—Ortwistsyourtail,"saidBillyandthetroop-horseandthecamelandthebullocksoneaftertheother.
"Butwhogivesthemtheorders?"
"Nowyouwanttoknowtoomuch,youngun,"saidBilly,"andthatisonewayofgettingkicked.Allyouhavetodoistoobeythemanatyourheadandasknoquestions."
"He’squiteright,"saidTwoTails."Ican’talwaysobey,becauseI’mbetwixtandbetween.ButBilly’sright.Obeythemannexttoyouwhogivestheorder,oryou’llstopallthebattery,besidesgettingathrashing."
Thegun-bullocksgotuptogo."Morningiscoming,"theysaid."Wewillgobacktoourlines.Itistruethatweonlyseeoutofoureyes,andwearenotveryclever.Butstill,wearetheonlypeopleto-nightwhohavenotbeenafraid.Good-night,youbravepeople."
Nobodyanswered,andthetroop-horsesaid,tochangetheconversation,"Where’sthatlittledog?Adogmeansamansomewhereabout."
"HereIam,"yappedVixen,"undertheguntailwithmyman.Youbig,blunderingbeastofacamelyou,youupsetourtent.Myman’sveryangry."
"Phew!"saidthebullocks."Hemustbewhite!"
"Ofcourseheis,"saidVixen."DoyousupposeI’mlookedafterbyablackbullock-driver?"
"Huah!Ouach!Ugh!"saidthebullocks."Letusgetawayquickly."
Theyplungedforwardinthemud,andmanagedsomehowtoruntheiryokeonthepoleofanammunitionwagon,whereitjammed.