Kim’seyessparkled。Heshuthislips，noddedhishead，andlookedunspeakablethings。TheChaplainmovedonthroughthedust，andprivates，sergeants，andsubalternscalledoneanother’sattentiontotheboy。TheColonel，attheheadofthecolumn，staredathimcuriously。`Itwasprobablysomebazarrumour，’hesaid；`buteventhen-’Hereferredtothepaperinhishand。`Hangitall，thethingwasonlydecidedwithinthelastforty-eighthours。’
`AretheremanymorelikeyouinIndia？’saidFatherVictor，`orareyoubywayo’beingalususnaturae？’
`NowIhavetoldyou，’saidtheboy，`willyouletmegobacktomyoldman？IfhehasnotstayedwiththatwomanfromKulu，Iamafraidhewilldie。’
`BywhatIsawofhimhe’saswellabletotakecareofhimselfasyou。
No。Ye’vebroughtusluck，an’we’regoin’tomakeamanofyou。I’lltakeyebacktoyourbaggage-cartandye’llcometomethisevening。’
FortherestofthedayKimfoundhimselfanobjectofdistinguishedconsiderationamongafewhundredwhitemen。Thestoryofhisappearanceincamp，thediscoveryofhisparentage，andhisprophecy，hadlostnothinginthetelling。Abig，shapelesswhitewomanonapileofbeddingaskedhimmysteriouslywhetherhethoughtherhusbandwouldcomebackfromthewar。Kimreflectedgravely，andsaidthathewould，andthewomangavehimfood。Inmanyrespects，thisbigprocessionthatplayedmusicatintervals-thiscrowdthattalkedandlaughedsoeasily-resembledafestivalinLahorecity。Sofar，therewasnosignofhardwork，andheresolvedtolendthespectaclehispatronage。Ateveningtherecameouttomeetthembandsofmusic，andplayedtheMavericksintocampnearUmballarailwaystation。Thatwasaninterestingnight。MenofotherregimentscametovisittheMavericks。TheMaverickswentvisitingontheirownaccount。
Theirpicketshurriedforthtobringthemback，metpicketsofstrangeregimentsonthesameduty；and，afterawhile，thebuglesblewmadlyformorepicketswithofficerstocontrolthetumult。TheMaverickshadareputationforlivelinesstoliveupto。Buttheyfellinontheplatformnextmorninginperfectshapeandcondition；andKim，leftbehindwiththesick，women，andboys，foundhimselfshoutingfarewellsexcitedlyasthetrainsdrewaway。LifeasaSahibwasamusingsofar；buthetoucheditwithacautioushand。Thentheymarchedhimbackinchargeofadrummer-boytoempty，lime-washedbarracks，whosefloorswerecoveredwithrubbishandstringandpaper，andwhoseceilingsgavebackhislonelyfootfall。Native-fashion，hecurledhimselfuponastrippedcotandwenttosleep。Anangrymanstumpeddowntheveranda，wokehimup，andsaidhewasaschoolmaster。ThiswasenoughforKim，andheretiredintohisshell。HecouldjustpuzzleoutthevariousEnglishPolicenoticesinLahorecity，becausetheyaffectedhiscomfort；
andamongthemanyguestsofthewomanwholookedafterhimhadbeenaqueerGermanwhopaintedsceneryfortheParseetravellingtheatre。HetoldKimthathehadbeenonthebarricadesin’Forty-eight，andtherefore-atleastthatwashowitstruckKim-hewouldteachtheboytowriteinreturnforfood。Kimhadbeenkickedasfarassingleletters，butdidnotthinkwellofthem。
`Idonotknowanything。Goaway！’saidKim，scentingevil。Hereuponthemancaughthimbytheear，draggedhimtoaroominafar-offwingwhereadozendrummer-boysweresittingonforms，andtoldhimtobestillifhecoulddonothingelse。Thishemanagedverysuccessfully。Themanexplainedsomethingorotherwithwhitelinesonablackboardforatleasthalfanhour，andKimcontinuedhisinterruptednap。Hemuchdisapprovedofthepresentaspectofaffairs，forthiswastheveryschoolanddisciplinehehadspenttwo-thirdsofhisyounglifeinavoiding。Suddenlyabeautifulideaoccurredtohim，andhewonderedthathehadnotthoughtofitbefore。
Themandismissedthem，andfirsttospringthroughtheverandaintotheopensunshinewasKim。
`’Ere，you！`Alt！Stop！’saidahighvoiceathisheels。`I’vegottolookafteryou。Myordersarenottoletyououtofmysight。Whereareyougoin’？’
Itwasthedrummer-boywhohadbeenhangingroundhimalltheforenoon-afatandfreckledpersonofaboutfourteen，andKimloathedhimfromthesolesofhisbootstohiscap-ribbons。
`Tothebazar-togetsweets-foryou，’saidKim，afterthought。
`Well，thebazar’souto’bounds。Ifwegotherewe’llgetadressing-down。
Youcomeback。’
`Hownearcanwego？’Kimdidnotknowwhatboundsmeant，buthewishedtobepolite-forthepresent。
`’Ownear？’Owfar，youmean！Wecangoasfarasthattreedowntheroad。’
`ThenIwillgothere。’
`Allright。Iain’tgoin’。It’stoo’ot。Icanwatchyoufrom’ere。
It’snogoodyourrunnin’away。Ifyoudid，they’dspotyoubyyourclothes。
That’sregimentalstuffyou’rewearin’。Thereain’tapicketinUmballawouldn’t’eadyoubackquickerthanyoustartedout。’
ThisdidnotimpressKimasmuchastheknowledgethathisraimentwouldtirehimoutifhetriedtorun。Heslouchedtothetreeatthecornerofabareroadleadingtowardsthebazar，andeyedthenativespassing。
Mostofthemwerebarrack-servantsofthelowestcaste。Kimhailedasweeper，whopromptlyretortedwithapieceofunnecessaryinsolence，inthenaturalbeliefthattheEuropeanboycouldnotfollowit。Thelow，quickanswerundeceivedhim。Kimputhisfetteredsoulintoit，thankfulforthelatechancetoabusesomebodyinthetongueheknewbest。`Andnow，gotothenearestletter-writerinthebazarandtellhimtocomehere。Iwouldwritealetter。’
`But-butwhatmannerofwhiteman’ssonartthoutoneedabazarletter-writer？
Istherenotaschoolmasterinthebarracks？’
`Ay；andHellisfullofthesamesort。Domyorder，youyouOd！Thymotherwasmarriedunderabasket！ServantofLalBeg，KimknewtheGodofthesweepers，`runonmybusinessorwewilltalkagain。’
Thesweepershuffledoffinhaste。`Thereisawhiteboybythebarrackswaitingunderatreewhoisnotawhiteboy，’hestammeredtothefirstbazarletter-writerhecameacross。`Heneedsthee。’
`Willhepay？’saidthesprucescribe，gatheringuphisdeskandpensandsealing-waxallinorder。
`Idonotknow。Heisnotlikeotherboys。Goandsee。Itiswellworth。’
KimdancedwithimpatiencewhentheslimyoungKayethhoveinsight。
Assoonashisvoicecouldcarryhecursedhimvolubly。
`FirstIwilltakemypay，’theletter-writersaid。`Badwordshavemadethepricehigher。Butwhoartthou，dressedinthatfashion，tospeakinthisfashion？’
`Aha！Thatisintheletterwhichthoushaltwrite。Neverwassuchatale。ButIaminnohaste。Anotherwriterwillserveme。UmballacityisasfullofthemasisLahore。’
`Fourannas，’saidthewriter，sittingdownandspreadinghisclothintheshadeofadesertedbarrack-wing。
MechanicallyKimsquattedbesidehim-squattedasonlythenativescan-inspiteoftheabominableclingingtrousers。
Thewriterregardedhimsideways。
`ThatisthepricetoaskofSahibs，’saidKim。`Nowfixmeatrueone。’
`Anannaandahalf。HowdoIknow，havingwrittentheletter，thatthouwiltnotrunaway？’
`Imustnotgobeyondthistree，andthereisalsothestamptobeconsidered。’
`Igetnocommissiononthepriceofthestamp。Oncemore，whatmannerofwhiteboyartthou？’
`Thatshallbesaidintheletter，whichistoMahbubAli，thehorse-dealerintheKashmirSerai，atLahore。Heismyfriend。’
`Wonderonwonder！’murmuredtheletter-writer，dippingareedintheinkstand。`TobewritteninHindi？’
`Assuredly。ToMahbubAlithen。Begin！`IhavecomedownwiththeoldmanasfarasUmballainthetrain。AtUmballaIcarriedthenewsofthebaymare’spedigree。’’Afterwhathehadseeninthegarden，hewasnotgoingtowriteofwhitestallions。
`Sloweralittle。Whathasabaymaretodo……IsitMahbubAli，thegreatdealer？’
`Whoelse？Ihavebeeninhisservice。Takemoreink。Again。`Astheorderwas，soIdidit。WethenwentonfoottowardsBenares，butonthethirddaywefoundacertainregiment。’Isthatdown？’
`Ay，pulton，’murmuredthewriter，allears。
``Iwentintotheircampandwascaught，andbymeansofthecharmaboutmyneck，whichthouknowest，itwasestablishedthatIwasthesonofsomemanintheregiment：accordingtotheprophecyoftheRedBull，whichthouknowestwascommontalkofourbazar。’’Kimwaitedforthisshafttosinkintotheletter-writer’sheart，clearedhisthroat，andcontinued：``A
priestclothedmeandgavemeanewname……Onepriest，however，wasafool。Theclothesareveryheavy，butIamaSahibandmyheartisheavytoo。Theysendmetoaschoolandbeatme。Idonotliketheairandwaterhere。Comethenandhelpme，MahbubAli，orsendmesomemoney，forIhavenotsufficienttopaythewriterwhowritesthis。’’
``Whowritesthis。’ItismyownfaultthatIwastricked。ThouartascleverasHusainBuxthatforgedtheTreasurystampsatNucklao。Butwhatatale！Whatatale！Isittruebyanychance？’
`ItdoesnotprofittotellliestoMahbubAli。Itisbettertohelphisfriendsbylendingthemastamp。WhenthemoneycomesIwillrepay。’
Thewritergrunteddoubtfully，buttookastampoutofhisdesk，sealedtheletter，handeditovertoKim，anddeparted。MahbubAli’swasanameofpowerinUmballa。
`ThatisthewaytowinagoodaccountwiththeGods，’Kimshoutedafterhim。
`Paymetwiceoverwhenthemoneycomes，’themancriedoverhisshoulder。