And the officer answered, “There was an order, and they obeyed.”

“But are the beasts as wise as the men?” said the chief.

“They obey, as the men do. Mule, horse, elephant, or bullock, he obeys his driver, and the driver his sergeant, and the sergeant his lieutenant, and the lieutenant his captain, and the captain his major, and the major his colonel, and the colonel his brigadier commanding three regiments, and the brigadier his general, who obeys the Viceroy, who is the servant of the Empress. Thus it is done.”

“Would it were so in Afghanistan!” said the chief; “for there we obey only our own wills.”

“And for that reason,” said the native officer, twirling his mustache, “your Amir whom you do not obey must come here and take orders from our Viceroy.”

Parade-Song of the Camp Animals Elephants of the Gun-Team We lent to Alexander the strength of Hercules, The wisdom of our foreheads, the cunning of our knees; We bowed our necks to service; they ne’er were loosed again⁠— Make way there, way for the ten-foot teams Of the Forty-Pounder train! Gun-Bullocks Those heroes in their harnesses avoid a cannonball, And what they know of powder upsets them one and all; Then we come into action and tug the guns again⁠— Make way there, way for the twenty yoke Of the Forty-Pounder train! Cavalry Horses By the brand on my withers, the finest of tunes Is played by the Lancers, Hussars, and Dragoons, And it’s sweeter than “Stables” or “Water” to me, The Cavalry Canter of “Bonnie Dundee”! Then feed us and break us and handle and groom, And give us good riders and plenty of room, And launch us in column of squadrons and see