Kim

o long at hack, S

wk that footed e

o' the air. Fai

love he binds to

th a make-hawk

y point-so manned

firmament God

all take th

's

d, and made his change under the Pathan's wary eye. Could the little Survey paint-box that he used for map-tinting in term-time have found a tongue to tell of holiday doings, he might have been expelled. Once Mahbub and he went together as far as the beautiful c

s drug-box proved useless, though Kim had restocked it at Bombay. Mahbub had business at Quetta, and there Kim, as Mahbub admitted, earned his keep, and perhaps a little over, by spending four curious days as scullion in the house of a fat Commissariat sergeant, from whose office-box, in an auspicious moment, he removed

e shall catch the larger one. He only sells oxen at two prices-one f

away the little book

should miss, perhaps, a great number of new rifles which seek their way up from

o thread pearls. He made Kim learn whole chapters of the Koran by heart, till he could deliver them with the very roll and cadence of a mullah. Moreover, he told Kim the names and properties of many native drugs, as well as the runes proper to recite when you administer them. And in the evenings he wrote charms on parchment-elaborate pentagrams crowned with the names of devils-Murra

ed him to make a map of that wild, walled city; and since Mohammedan horse-boys and pipe-tenders are not expected to drag Survey-chains round the capital of an independent Native State, Kim was forced to pace all his distances by means of a bead rosary. He used the compass for bearings as occasion served-after dark chiefly, when the camels had

r considered. Write as though the Jung-i-Lat Sahib himsel

reat a

f a lakh

the wells in the sand. Not a thousan

what is the temper and disposition of the King. I stay here till all my horses are sold. I wil

ago (a careless clerk filed it with the rough notes of E's second Seistan survey), but by now the pencil characters must be a

stooped over his d

mally at Kim's feet. There was a gold-embroidered Peshawur turban-cap, rising to a cone, and a big turban-cloth ending in a broad fringe of gold. There was a Delhi embroidered waistcoat to slip over a milky w

clothes is auspicious,' said Mahbub solemnly. 'But

m's delighted breath away, with a mother-of-pea

by those-especially across the Border. Stand up and let me look.' He clapped Kim on the shoulder. 'May you

s just beginning. Then he stooped towards Mahbub's feet to make proper acknowledgment with flu

cartridges come out at one twist. It is borne in the bosom next the skin, which, as it were,

ly. 'If a Sahib kills a ma

men are wiser. Put it away; but fill

ust return it. They do not allow lit

only learn upon the Road. The folly of the Sahibs has neither top nor bottom. No matter. Maybe thy wr

ading; and then sorrowfully, in European clothes, which he was fast outgrowing, Kim went second-class to St Xavier's. Three weeks later, Colo

y by day, he will lose his manners if he is kept at tricks. Drop the

, Mahbub-not more t

I had shot my man and

ned to Lurgan. The black beard nodded assen

y I always have my really valuable jewels watched by a child. You sent him to me to

in the ink-pool?

gh-but you think it skittles, Colonel Creighton-to make anyone do anything he wants. And that is t

, as you know, there is no Su

lt to carry heavy weight at first? Let him run with the caravans-

ost useful-in the South,' said Lurgan, with pec

hton quickly. 'He must not go down

ll of the letters we want and he wil

man's job,' s

who had been brought to book for kidnapping women within British territory. The Moslem Archbishop had been emphatic and over-arrogant; the young prince was merely sulky at the curtailment of his privileges, but there was no need he s

to be published, made both Mahbu

dealer with visible effort. 'He is fond of the old

man-by letter,' said Colonel Creighton,

rs or at Buddh Gaya when he is in from the Road. Then he goes to see the boy at the madrissah, as we know for the boy was punished for it twice or thrice. He is quite mad,

be made a member of the Royal Society by taking ethnological notes. I tell you, I tell him about the lama ev

Hurree's travelling expenses, out of a most l

s in these few years. Holy Virgin! I could have told him all that yeears ago. I think Hurree Babu is getting

well of the b

at my little place-but I think it would be waste to

u, Mahbub? Let the boy run with the lama for six mon

the water he swims in. But for every reason i

ares to keep an eye on them so much the better. He won't lead the boy into any danger as Mahbub wo

for years with monographs on strange Asiatic cults and unknown customs. Nine men out of ten would flee from a Royal Society soiree in extremity of boredom; but Creighton was the tenth, and at times his soul yearned for the crowded rooms in easy London where silver-haired, bald-headed gentlemen who know nothing of the Army move among spectroscopic experiments, the lesser plants o

ost-dagger and lo

from the stable?' said the h

will he do, think you? I have never before

ub promptly. 'Lurgan Sahib and

hs he shall run at his choice

will not tell anything, if that is what

y a boy,

secondly, he knows what would happen. Also, h

' demanded the pra

lowance only. Twen

Mahbub's eyes lighted with almost a Sikh's love of money. Even Lurgan's impassive face changed. He considered the years to come when Kim would have been entered and made to the Great Game that never ceases day and night,

e the joy of Kim when St Xavier's Head called him asi

There is a great deal of hard work before you. Only, if you succeed in becoming pukka, you can rise, you know, to four hundred and fifty a month.' Whereat the Principal gave him much good advice as to his conduct, and his manners, and his morals; and others, his elders, who had not been wafted into billets, talked as only Anglo-Indian lads can, of favouritism and corruption. Indeed, young Cazalet, whose fathe

the luggage-scales: 'I feared lest at the last, the roof would f

ow the utterness of that end, an

the pistol that

ged that much from Colonel Creighton Sahib. At twenty

es a month. But first we must get rid of these.' He plucked his thin linen trousers and dragged at hi

is salaams t

very clever man. Bu

Game. What else? Is thy mind sti

hough he did not know it. Year by yea

Mahbub growled. 'Come away. The lamps are lit now, and no

e as his mother gave to Lemuel, and curiously enough, Mahbub wa

w, excepting as to Pathans, of whom I am one, all that is true. Most true is it in the Great Game, for it is by means of women that all

an upper chamber, in the ward that is behind Azim Ullah's tobacco-shop. Those who kno

lad in greenish gauzes, and decked, brow, nose, ear, neck, wrist, arm, waist, and ankle with heavy native jewellery. When she turned it was

o remove the mouthpiece from her lips. 'O Buktanoos!'-like most of her k

g of the horse,' Mahbub exp

ixth Day,' he replied, squatting b

efa has the secret of a colour that catches. No painting of a day or two. Also, we fortify thee against the chance

the new-filled medicine-box. They had all accompani

saw that she was blind. 'No, no,' she muttered, 'the Pathan speaks truth-my colour

with me I could oversee the matter. Besides, a Pathan is a fair-skin. Strip to the waist now and look how thou art whitened.'

perimented on the back of his wrist, with a

with the proper ceremonies. The colouring is the lea

like the white, sightless eyes. Mahbub's hand on his neck

omes to thee, my son

growing drowse he heard the names of devils-of Zulbazan, Son of Eblis, who lives in bazars and paraos, making all the sudden lewd wickedness of wayside halts; of Dulhan, invisible about mosques, the dweller among the slippers of the faithful, who hinders folk from

drugs. That was his white blood, I take it,' said Mahbub testily

en, O Hearer!' Huneefa moaned, her dead eyes turned to t

erous figure raised a round bu

nd,' it said in English. 'I opine that it is very disturbi

lievers. Let them alone awhile!' Huneefa's face, turned to the northward,

ort of drugged ecstasy, wrenched herself to and fro as she sat cross-legged by Kim's still head, and calle

besides Himself He knoweth that which is in the dry land and

cles quiver and jerk as Huneefa spoke with tongues. 'It-it is not likely that she has killed the bo

ls of Hind, but the Sons of Eblis are far otherwise, and whether they b

ree Babu, half rising. 'They are, of cours

m of howling, with a touch of froth at the lips. She lay sp

for it; and Huneefa is surely a mistress of daw

re himself. It is an awful thing still to dread the magic that you contemptuously investiga

Lords of the Air have ears to hear. I am a Sufi [free-thinker], but when one can get blind-sides of a woman, a stallion, or a devil, why go r

ee Babu. 'He is at pres

ep of thousands of years. Huneefa, in her

bow. 'I superintended entire operation, which was most interes

nizing Hurree Babu, wh

the habit offeecially of carrying such gauds to subordinates, but'-he giggled-'yo

. It was good to turn and twist

y at the heavy duffle-stuff loaded

s teeth at a goglet. 'I am of opeenion it is not your old gentleman's precise releegion, but rather sub-variant of same. I have contributed rejected notes To Whom It M

u know

ny tooth-cleaning and such things among decently bred Bengalis. Then he recited in Engli

also at Buddh Gaya, to interrogate him on releegious po

er incense-burner, all black and discoloured in morning-light, rubbed a fi

y house?' asked Kim

the Evil Eye-that sorc

thou do n

ares, if thou goest thither, and t

nd the desolate chamber and at the yellow-wax face of Huneefa as the l

r devils. It was Mahbub's desire.' In English: 'He is highly obsolete, I think

efa's ministrations; and Hurree giggled once more. But as he crossed the room he was careful not to step in Huneefa's blotch

which we witnessed they include supply of effeecient amulet to those of our Department. If you feel

heart-lifter],' said K

ot, when we get them we put in, before issue, one small piece of turquoise. Mr Lurgan he gives them. There is no other source of supply; but it was me invented all this. It is strictly unoffeecial of course, but convenient for subordinates. Colonel Creighton he does not know. He is European. The turquoise is wrapped in the

ite. We must not be hea

many members, and perhaps before they jolly-well-cut-your-throat they may give you just a chance of life. That is useful, anyhow. And moreover, these foolish natives-if they are not too excited-they always stop to think before they kill a man who says he belongs to any speecific organization. You see? You say then when you are in tight place, "I am Son of the Charm", and you get-perhaps-ah-your second wind. That is only in extreme instances, or to

ee-vegetable c

s it is bad for your caste." Then you say: "There is no caste when men go to-look for tarkeean." You st

ed the tes

e. Perhaps that may help you-perhaps not. Then what I have told you about the tarkeean, if you want to transact offeecial business with a strange man. Of course, at present, you have no offeecial business. You are-ah ha!-supernumerary on probation. Quite unique specimen. If you were Asiatic of birth you might be employed right off; but this half-year of leave is to make you de-Englis

is sad-coloured robe, the amulet was on his neck; begging-gourd, rosary, and ghost-dagger (Mr Lurgan had forgotten nothing) were all to hand, with medicine, paint-box, and compass, and in a worn old purse-belt emb