Rudyard Kipling

Traffics and Discoveries Rudyard Kipling

Book Excerpt: ...ed by canons. O, it was great for me and Baldy and Tom Reed! I don't know as we didn't neglect the legitimate interests of our respective commanders sometimes for this ball-play. I know I did."'Long towards the fall the Royal British Artillery grew shy--hung back in their breeching sort of--and their shooting was way--way off. I observed they wasn't taking any chances, not though I acted kitten almost underneath 'em."I mentioned it to Van Zyl, because it struck me I had about knocked their Royal British moral endways."'No, ' says he, rocking as usual on his pony. 'My Captain Mankeltow he is sick. That is all.'"'So's your Captain Mankeltow's guns, ' I said. 'But I'm going to make 'em a heap sicker before he gets well.'"'No, ' says Van Zyl. 'He has had the enteric a little. Now he is better, and he was let out from hospital at Jackhalputs. Ah, that Mankeltow! He always makes me laugh so. I told him--long back--at Colesberg, I had a little home for him at Nooitgedach.