The screw-guns are tiny little cannon made in two pieces , that are screwed together when the time comes to use them . They are taken up mountains , anywhere that a mule can find a road , and they are very useful for fighting in rocky country . Behind the mule there was a camel , with his big soft feet squelching and slipping in the mud , and his neck bobbing to and fro like a strayed hen 's . Luckily , I knew enough of beast language -- not wild-beast language , but camp-beast language , of course -- from the natives to know what he was saying . He must have been the one that flopped into my tent , for he called to the mule , `` What shall I do ? Where shall I go ? I have fought with a white thing that waved , and it took a stick and hit me on the neck . '' -LRB- That was my broken tent pole , and I was very glad to know it . -RRB- `` Shall we run on ? '' `` Oh , it was you , '' said the mule , `` you and your friends , that have been disturbing the camp ? All right . You 'll be beaten for this in the morning . But I may as well give you something on account now . '' I heard the harness jingle as the mule backed and caught the camel two kicks in the ribs that rang like a drum . `` Another time , '' he said , `` you 'll know better than to run through a mule battery at night , shouting ` Thieves and fire ! ' Sit down , and keep your silly neck quiet . '' The camel doubled up camel-fashion , like a two-foot rule , and sat down whimpering . There was a regular beat of hoofs in the darkness , and a big troop-horse cantered up as steadily as though he were on parade , jumped a gun tail , and landed close to the mule . `` It 's disgraceful , '' he said , blowing out his nostrils . `` Those camels have racketed through our lines again -- the third time this week .
How 's a horse XXXXX keep his condition if he is n't allowed to sleep .
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