`Shabash！Shabash！Oh，welldone，littleone！Whatwillthehealerofturquoisessaytothis？Now，slowly，letushearwhatbefellafterwardsstepbystep，omittingnothing。’
Stepbystepthen，Kimtoldhisadventuresbetweencoughsasthefull-flavouredtobaccocaughthislungs。
`Isaid，’growledMahbubAlitohimself，`Isaiditwastheponybreakingouttoplaypolo。Thefruitisripealready-exceptthathemustlearnhisdistancesandhispacings，andhisrodsandhiscompasses。Listennow。IhaveturnedasidetheColonel’swhipfromthyskin，andthatisnosmallservice。’
`True。’Kimpulledserenely。`Thatistrue。’
`Butitisnottobethoughtthatthisrunningoutandinisanywaygood。’
`Itwasmyholiday，Hajji。Iwasaslaveformanyweeks。WhyshouldInotrunawaywhentheschoolwasshut？Look，too，howI，livinguponmyfriendsorworkingformybread，asIdidwiththeSikh，havesavedtheColonelSahibagreatexpense。
Mahbub’slipstwitchedunderhiswell-prunedMohammedanmoustache。
`Whatareafewrupees`-thePathanthrewouthisopenhandcarelessly-`totheColonelSahib？Hespendsthemforapurpose，notinanywayforloveofthee。’
`That，’saidKimslowly，`Iknewaverylongtimeago。’
`Whotold？’
`TheColonelSahibhimself。Notinthosemanywords，butplainlyenoughforonewhoisnotaltogetheramud-head。Yea，hetoldmeinthete-rainwhenwewentdowntoLucknow。’
`Beitso。ThenIwilltelltheemore，FriendofalltheWorld，thoughinthetellingIlendtheemyhead。’
`Itwasforfeittome，’saidKim，withdeeprelish，`inUmballa，whenthoudidstpickmeuponthehorseafterthedrummer-boybeatme。’
`Speakalittleplainer。AlltheworldmaytellliessavethouandI。
ForequallyisthylifeforfeittomeifIchosetoraisemyfingerhere。’
`Andthisisknowntomealso，’saidKim，readjustingthelivecharcoal-ballontheweed。`Itisaverysuretiebetweenus。Indeed，thyholdissurereventhanmine；forwhowouldmissaboybeatentodeath，or，itmaybe，thrownintoawellbytheroadside？MostpeoplehereandinSimlaandacrossthepassesbehindtheHillswould，ontheotherhand，say：`WhathascometoMahbubAli？’ifhewerefounddeadamonghishorses。Surely，too，theColonelSahibwouldmakeinquiries。Butagain，’-Kim’sfacepuckeredwithcunning，-`hewouldnotmakeoverlonginquiry，lestpeopleshouldask：
`WhathasthisColonelSahibtodowiththathorse-dealer？’ButI-ifIlived-’
`Asthouwouldstsurelydie-’
`Maybe；butIsay，ifIlived，I，andIalone，wouldknowthatonehadcomebynight，asacommonthiefperhaps，toMahbubAli’sbulkheadintheserai，andtherehadslainhim，eitherbeforeorafterthatthiefhadmadeafullsearchintohissaddlebagsandbetweenthesolesofhisslippers。IsthatnewstotelltotheColonel，orwouldhesaytome-
Ihavenotforgottenwhenhesentmebackforacigar-casethathehadnotleftbehindhim-`WhatisMahbubAlitome？’？’
Upwentagoutofheavysmoke。Therewasalongpause：thenMahbubAlispokeinadmiration：`Andwiththesethingsonthymind，dostthouliedownandriseagainamongalltheSahibs’littlesonsatthemadrissahandmeeklytakeinstructionfromthyteachers？’
`Itisanorder，’saidKimblandly。`WhoamItodisputeanorder？’
`AmostfinishedSonofEblis，’saidMahbubAli。`Butwhatisthistaleofthethiefandthesearch？’
`ThatwhichIsaw，’saidKim，`thenightthatmylamaandIlaynextthyplaceintheKashmirSerai。Thedoorwasleftunlocked，whichIthinkisnotthycustom，Mahbub。Hecameinasoneassuredthatthouwouldstnotsoonreturn。Myeyewasagainstaknot-holeintheplank。Hesearchedasitwereforsomething-notarug，notstirrups，norabridle，norbrasspots-somethinglittleandmostcarefullyhid。Elsewhydidheprickwithanironbetweenthesolesofthyslippers？’
`Ha！’MahbubAlismiledgently。`Andseeingthesethings，whattaledidstthoufashiontothyself；WelloftheTruth？’
`None。Iputmyhanduponmyamulet，whichliesalwaysnexttomyskin，and，rememberingthepedigreeofawhitestallionthatIhadbittenoutofapieceofMussalmanibread，IwentawaytoUmballaperceivingthataheavytrustwaslaiduponme。Atthathour，hadIchosen，thyheadwasforfeit。Itneededonlytosaytothatman，`IhavehereapaperconcerningahorsewhichIcannotread。’Andthen？’KimpeeredatMahbubunderhiseyebrows。
`Thenthouwouldsthavedrunkwatertwice-perhapsthrice，afterwards。
Idonotthinkmorethanthrice，’saidMahbubsimply。
`Itistrue。Ithoughtofthatalittle，butmostIthoughtthatIlovedthee，Mahbub。ThereforeIwenttoUmballa，asthouknowest，butandthisthoudostnotknowIlayhidinthegarden-grasstoseewhatColonelCreightonSahibmightdouponreadingthewhitestallion’spedigree。’
`Andwhatdidhe？’forKimhadbittenofftheconversation。
`Dostthougivenewsforlove，ordostthousellit？’Kimasked。
`Iselland-Ibuy。’Mahbubtookafour-annapieceoutofhisbeltandhelditup。
`Eight！’saidKim，mechanicallyfollowingthehucksterinstinctoftheEast。
Mahbublaughed，andputawaythecoin。`Itistooeasytodealinthatmarket，FriendofalltheWorld。Tellmeforlove。Ourliveslieineachother’shand。’
`Verygood。IsawtheJang-i-LatSahib[theCommander-in-Chief]
cometoabigdinner。IsawhiminCreightonSahib’soffice。Isawthetworeadthewhitestallion’spedigree。Iheardtheveryordersgivenfortheopeningofagreatwar。’
`Hah！’Mahbubnoddedwithdeepesteyesafire。`Thegameiswellplayed。
Thatwarisdonenow，andtheevil，wehope，nippedbeforetheflower-
thankstome-andthee。Whatdidstthoulater？’
`Imadethenewsasitwereahooktocatchmevictualandhonouramongthevillagersinavillagewhosepriestdruggedmylama。ButIboreawaytheoldman’spurse，andtheBrahminfoundnothing。Sonextmorninghewasangry。Ho！Ho！AndIalsousedthenewswhenIfellintothehandsofthatwhiteRegimentwiththeirBull！’
`Thatwasfoolishness。’Mahbubscowled。`Newsisnotmeanttobethrownaboutlikedung-cakes，butusedsparingly-likebhang。’
`SoIthinknow，andmoreover，itdidmenosortofgood。Butthatwasverylongago，’hemadeastobrushitallawaywithathinbrownhand-`andsincethen，andespeciallyinthenightsunderthepunkahatthemadrissah，Ihavethoughtverygreatly。’
`IsitpermittedtoaskwhithertheHeaven-born’sthoughtmighthaveled？’saidMahbub，withanelaboratesarcasm，smoothinghisscarletbeard。
`Itispermitted，’saidKim，andthrewbacktheverytone。`TheysayatNucklaothatnoSahibmusttellablackmanthathehasmadeafault。’
Mahbub’shandshotintohisbosom，fortocallaPathanablackman[kalaadmi]isablood-insult。Thenherememberedandlaughed。`Speak，Sahib。Thyblackmanhears。’
`But，’saidKim，`IamnotaSahib，andIsayImadeafaulttocursethee，MahbubAli，onthatdayatUmballawhenIthoughtIwasbetrayedbyaPathan。Iwassenseless；forIwasbutnewlycaught，andIwishedtokillthatlow-castedrummer-boy。Isaynow，Hajji，thatitwaswelldone；andIseemyroadallclearbeforemetoagoodservice。
IwillstayinthemadrissahtillIamripe。’
`Wellsaid。Especiallyaredistancesandnumbersandthemannerofusingcompassestobelearnedinthatgame。OnewaitsintheHillsabovetoshowthee。’
`Iwilllearntheirteachinguponacondition-thatmytimeisgiventomewithoutquestionwhenthemadrissahisshut。AskthatformeoftheColonel。’
`ButwhynotasktheColonelintheSahibs’tongue？’
`TheColonelistheservantoftheGovernment。Heissenthitherandyonataword，andmustconsiderhisownadvancement。SeehowmuchIhavealreadylearnedatNucklao！Moreover，theColonelIknowsincethreemonthsonly。IhaveknownoneMahbubAliforsixyears。So！TothemadrissahIwillgo。AtthemadrissahIwilllearn。InthemadrissahIwillbeaSahib。Butwhenthemadrissahisshut，thenmustIbefreeandgoamongmypeople。OtherwiseIdie！’
`Andwhoarethypeople，FriendofalltheWorld？’
`Thisgreatandbeautifulland，’saidKim，wavinghispawroundthelittleclay-walledroomwheretheoil-lampinitsnicheburnedheavilythroughthetobacco-smoke。`And，further，Iwouldseemylamaagain。And，further，Ineedmoney。’
`Thatistheneedofeveryone，’saidMahbubruefully。`Iwillgivetheeeightannas，formuchmoneyisnotpickedoutofhorses’hooves，anditmustsufficeformanydays。Astoalltherest，Iamwellpleased，andnofurthertalkisneeded。Makehastetolearn，andinthreeyears，oritmaybeless，thouwiltbeanaid-eventome。
`HaveIbeensuchahindrancetillnow？’saidKim，withaboy’sgiggle。
`Donotgiveanswers，’Mahbubgrunted。`Thouartmynewhorse-boy。Goandbedamongmymen。Theyarenearthenorthendofthestation，withthehorses。’
`TheywillbeatmetothesouthendofthestationifIcomewithoutauthority。’
Mahbubfeltinhisbelt，wettedhisthumbonacakeofChineseink，anddabbedtheimpressiononapieceofsoftnativepaper。FromBalkhtoBombaymenknowthatrough-ridgedprintwiththeoldscarrunningdiagonallyacrossit。
`Thatisenoughtoshowmyheadman。Icomeinthemorning。’
`Bywhichroad？’saidKim。
`Bytheroadfromthecity。Thereisbutone，andthenwereturntoCreightonSahib。Ihavesavedtheeabeating。’
`Allah！Whatisabeatingwhentheveryheadislooseontheshoulders？’
Kimslidoutquietlyintothenight，walkedhalfroundthehouse，keepingclosetothewalls，andheadedawayfromthestationforamileorso。
Then，fetchingawidecompass，heworkedbackatleisure，forheneededtimetoinventastoryifanyofMahbub’sretainersaskedquestions。
Theywerecampedonapieceofwastegroundbesidetherailway，and，beingnatives，hadnot，ofcourse，unloadedthetwotrucksinwhichMahbub’sanimalsstoodamongaconsignmentofcountry-bredsboughtbytheBombaytram-company。Theheadman，abroken-down，consumptive-lookingMohammedan，promptlychallengedKim，butwaspacifiedatsightofMahbub’ssign-manual。
`TheHajjihasofhisfavourgivenmeservice，’saidKimtestily。`Ifthisbedoubted，waittillhecomesinthemorning。Meantime，aplacebythefire。’