I suppose it comes to the same thing . Now , with all this fine fancy business and rearing , which must be very bad for your hocks , what do you do ? '' `` That depends , '' said the troop-horse . `` Generally I have to go in among a lot of yelling , hairy men with knives -- long shiny knives , worse than the farrier 's knives -- and I have to take care that Dick 's boot is just touching the next man 's boot without crushing it . I can see Dick 's lance to the right of my right eye , and I know I 'm safe . I should n't care to be the man or horse that stood up to Dick and me when we 're in a hurry . '' `` Do n't the knives hurt ? '' said the young mule . `` Well , I got one cut across the chest once , but that was n't Dick 's fault -- '' `` A lot I should have cared whose fault it was , if it hurt ! '' said the young mule . `` You must , '' said the troop horse . `` If you do n't trust your man , you may as well run away at once . That 's what some of our horses do , and I do n't blame them . As I was saying , it was n't Dick 's fault . The man was lying on the ground , and I stretched myself not to tread on him , and he slashed up at me . Next time I have to go over a man lying down I shall step on him -- hard . '' `` H 'm ! '' said Billy . `` It sounds very foolish . Knives are dirty things at any time .
The proper thing to do is to climb up a mountain XXXXX a well-balanced saddle , hang on by all four feet and your ears too , and creep and crawl and wriggle along , till you come out hundreds of feet above anyone else on a ledge where there 's just room enough for your hoofs .
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