amanofanyprofessioncannotreadforeighthoursadayinatemperatureof960or980intheshade，runningupsometimesto1030atmidnightVeryfewmen，eventhoughtheygetapannikinoffiat，stale，muddybeerandhideitundertheircots，cancontinuedrinkmgforsixhoursadayOnemantried，buthedied，andnearlythewholeregimentwenttohisfuneralbecauseitgavethemsomethingtodoItwastooearlyfortheexcitementoffeverorcholera。
Themencouldonlywaitandwaitandwait，andwatchtheshadowofthebarrackcreepingacrosstheblindingwhitedustThatwasagaylife。
Theyloungedaboutcantonments-itwastoohotforanysortofgame，andalmosttoohotforvic~andfuddledthemselvesintheevening，andfilledthemselvestodistensionwiththehealthynitrogenousfoodprovidedforthem，andthemoretheystokedthelessexercisetheytookandmoreexplosivetheygrewThentempersbegantowearaway，andmenfella-broodingoverinsultsrealorimaginary，fortheyhadnothingelsetothinkofThetoneofthereparteeschanged，andinsteadofsayinglight-heartedly：“I’llknockyoursillyfacein。”mengrewlaboriouslyp0liteandhintedthatthecantonmentswerenotbigenoughforthemselvesandtheirenemy，andthattherewouldbemorespaceforoneofthetwoinanotherplace。
ItmayhavebeentheDevilwhoarrangedthething，butthefactofthecaseisthatLossonhadforalongtimebeenworryingSimmonsinanaimlesswayItgavehimoccupationThetwohadtheircotssidebyside，andwouldsometimesspendalongafternoonswearingateachother；butSimmonswasafraidofLossonanddarednotchallengehimtoafightHethoughtoverthewordsinthehotstillnights，andhalfthehatehefelttowardLossonheventedonthewretchedpunkahcoolie。
Lossonboughtaparrotinthebazar，andputitintoalittlecage，andloweredthecageintothecooldarknessofawell，andsatonthewell-curb，shoutingbadlanguagedowntotheparrotHetaughtittosay：“Simmons，yeso-oor。”whichmeansswine，andseveralotherthingsentirelyunfitforpublicationHewasabiggrossman，andheshooklikeajellywhentheparrothadthesentencecorrectlySimmons，however，shookwithrage，foralltheroomwerelaughingathim-theparrotwassuchadisreputablepuffofgreenfeathersanditlookedsohumanwhenitchatteredLossonusedtosit，swinginghisfatlegs，onthesideofthecot，andasktheparrotwhatitthoughtofSimmonsTheparrotwouldanswer：