SERVANTS 217 



coolies^ to pitch the tent and get things ship- 

 shape. He can get little help from the Burmans. 

 They have probably never seen a tent pitched in 

 their lives, and don't know a pole from a tent- 

 peg. In any case they are tired, and far from 

 inclined to put their shoulders to the wheel. It 

 isn't their tent, and if the ' thakin ' is so foolish 

 as to wander about in this sort of weather, that 

 is his look-out. They have carted the beastly 

 thing for ten good miles, and that is all they are 

 paid to do. This is their line of argument, 

 though not expressed in words, and there is a 

 good deal in it. All this discomfort and vexa- 

 tion of spirit is obviated by having two servants. 

 One gets tea ready, and then starts to cook 

 his master's dinner, and incidentally his own 

 also, and that of his fellow-servant. The other, 

 meanwhile, puts up the tent, helped by his 

 master and, to some extent, by the coolies. The 

 tent is pitched in no time, the camp furniture 

 put together, and by the time the kettle is on 

 the boil, everything is shipshape and under 

 shelter. Both servants work cheerfully — the 

 one knowing that a comfortable meal is being 

 prepared for him, the other that he has only 

 to cook, and will not be called away for this, 

 that or the other from the warm comfort of 

 the fire. A good orderly is a great stand-by, 

 and one can often be obtained through the 

 courtesy of the Commandant of a Military 



