The Viceroy of India meets with the Amir of Afghanistan at a military encampment where, every night, either the “savage” horses from Central Asia or the camels break free and stampede around the camp (265). The narrator, a human soldier, is awoken by a camel running through the tents and goes with a terrier named Vixen to find a dry place to sleep. As he prepares to rest, he overhears the panicked camel talking to the mules used to pull cannons. The older mule, Billy, is irritated with the camels for their lack of discipline, and he is joined by a cavalry horse. The camel claims that they are often frightened at night by bad dreams, and they are not very brave. A bullock used to pull heavy guns joins them as well. The cavalry horse reminds them that all animals are afraid and disobedient when they first join the army, especially when they are from the wild.

The animals all describe what they do in the military and what sorts of dangers they face in battle. Even the camel describes how it does not fear gunfire because the soldiers often fire over the camel’s backs for cover. An elephant called Two Tails joins them.