`` It sounds very foolish . Knives are dirty things at any time . The proper thing to do is to climb up a mountain with 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 . Then you stand still and keep quiet -- never ask a man to hold your head , young un -- keep quiet while the guns are being put together , and then you watch the little poppy shells drop down into the tree-tops ever so far below . '' `` Do n'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 could n't stand that . I should want to charge -- with Dick . '' `` Oh , no , you would n't .
You know XXXXX as soon as the guns are in position they 'll do all the charging .
against as at if into of that to while with