Page:Rudyard Kipling's verse - Inclusive Edition 1885-1918.djvu/562

 544 RUDYARD KIPLING'S VERSE

For 'e might 'ave caught the confluent pneumonia

From sleepin' in his gaiters in the dew; So 'e took a book an' dozed while the other columns closed

And De Wet's commando out an' trickled through!

The General saw the mountain-range ahead,

With their 'elios showin' saucy on the 'eight, So 'e 'eld us to the level ground instead,

An' telegraphed the Boojers would n't fight. For 'e might 'ave gone an' sprayed 'em with a pompom,

Or 'e might 'ave slung a squadron out to see But 'e was n't takin' chances in them 'igh an' 'ostile kranzes

He was markin' time to earn a K. C. B

The General got 'is decorations thick

(The men that backed 'is lies could not complain), The Staff 'ad D. S. O.'s till we was sick,

An' the soldier 'ad the work to do again! For 'e might 'ave known the District was an 'otbed,

Instead of 'andin' over, upside-down, To a man 'oo 'ad to fight 'alf a year to put it right,

While the General went an' slandered 'im in town!

An' it all went into the laundry, But it never came out in the wash. We were sugared about by the old men (Panicky, perishin' old men) That 'amper an' 'inder an' scold men For fear o' Stellenbosh !

HALF-BALLAD OF WATER VAL

(Non-commissioned Officers in Charge oj Prisoners)

by the labour of my 'ands I've 'elped to pack a transport tight With prisoners for foreign lands,