Followedtheusualaimlessbabblethateverylow-castenativemustraiseoneveryoccasion。Itdieddown，andKimlayoutbehindthelittleknotofMahbub’sfollowers，almostunderthewheelsofahorse-truck，aborrowedblanketforcovering。Nowabedamongbrickbatsandballast-refuseonadampnight，betweenovercrowdedhorsesandunwashedBaltis，wouldnotappealtomanywhiteboys；butKimwasutterlyhappy。Changeofscene，service，andsurroundingswerethebreathofhislittlenostrils，andthinkingoftheneatwhitecotsofStXavier’sallarowunderthepunkahgavehimjoyaskeenastherepetitionofthemultiplication-tableinEnglish。
`Iamveryold，’hethoughtsleepily。`EverymonthIbecomeayearmoreold。Iwasveryyoung，andafooltoboot，whenItookMahbub’smessagetoUmballa。EvenwhenIwaswiththatwhiteRegimentIwasveryyoungandsmallandhadnowisdom。ButnowIlearneveryday，andinthreeyearstheColonelwilltakemeoutofthemadrissahandletmegoupontheRoadwithMahbubhuntingforhorses’pedigrees，ormaybeIshallgobymyself；ormaybeIshallfindthelamaandgowithhim。Yes；thatisbest。TowalkagainasachelawithmylamawhenhecomesbacktoBenares。’Thethoughtscamemoreslowlyanddisconnectedly。Hewasplungingintoabeautifuldreamlandwhenhisearscaughtawhisper，thinandsharp，abovethemonotonousbabbleroundthefire。Itcamefrombehindtheiron-skinnedhorse-truck。
`Heisnothere，then？’
`Whereshouldhebebutroysteringinthecity。Wholooksforaratinafrog-pond？Comeaway。Heisnotourman。’
`HemustnotgobackbeyondthePassesasecondtime。Itistheorder。’
`Hiresomewomantodrughim。Itisafewrupeesonly，andthereisnoevidence。’
`Exceptthewoman。Itmustbemorecertain；andrememberthepriceuponhishead。’
`Ay，butthepolicehavealongarm，andwearefarfromtheBorder。
IfitwereinPeshawur，now！’
`Yes-inPeshawur，’thesecondvoicesneered。`Peshawur，fullofhisblood-kin-fullofbolt-holesandwomenbehindwhoseclotheshewillhide。
Yes，PeshawurorJehannumwouldsuitusequallywell。’
`Thenwhatistheplan？’
`Ofool，haveInottolditahundredtimes？Waittillhecomestoliedown，andthenonesureshot。Thetrucksarebetweenusandpursuit。Wehavebuttorunbackoverthelinesandgoourway。Theywillnotseewhencetheshotcame。Waithereatleasttillthedawn。Whatmanneroffakirartthou，toshiveratalittlewatching？’
`Oho！’thoughtKim，behindclose-shuteyes。`OnceagainitisMahbub。
Indeedawhitestallion’spedigreeisnotagoodthingtopeddletoSahibs！
OrmaybeMahbubhasbeensellingothernews。Nowwhatistodo，Kim？I
knownotwhereMahbubhouses，andifhecomesherebeforethedawntheywillshoothim。Thatwouldbenoprofitforthee，Kim。Andthisisnotamatterforthepolice。ThatwouldbenoprofitforMahbub；and’-hegiggledalmostaloud-`IdonotrememberanylessonatNucklaowhichwillhelpme。Allah！HereisKimandyonderarethey。First，then，Kimmustwakeandgoaway，sothattheyshallnotsuspect。Abaddreamwakesaman-thus-’
Hethrewtheblanketoffhisface，andraisedhimselfsuddenlywiththeterrible，bubbling，meaninglessyelloftheAsiaticrousedbynightmare。
`Urr-urr-urr-urr！Ya-la-la-la-la！Narain！Thechurel！
Thechurel！’
Achurelisthepeculiarlymalignantghostofawomanwhohasdiedinchild-bed。Shehauntslonelyroads，herfeetareturnedbackwardsontheankles，andsheleadsmentotorment。
LouderroseKim’squaveringhowl，tillatlastheleapedtohisfeetandstaggeredoffsleepily，whilethecampcursedhimforwakingthem。
Sometwentyyardsfartherupthelinehelaydownagain，takingcarethatthewhisperersshouldhearhisgruntsandgroansasherecomposedhimself。
Afterafewminutesherolledtowardstheroadandstoleawayintothethickdarkness。
Hepaddledalongswiftlytillhecametoaculvert，anddroppedbehindit，hischinonalevelwiththecoping-stone。Herehecouldcommandallthenight-traffic，himselfunseen。
Twoorthreecartspassed，jinglingouttothesuburbs；acoughingpolicemanandahurryingfoot-passengerortwowhosangtokeepoffevilspirits。
Thenrappedtheshodfeetofahorse。
`Ah！ThisismorelikeMahbub，’thoughtKim，asthebeastshiedatthelittleheadabovetheculvert。
`Ohe，MahbubAli，’hewhispered，`haveacare！’
Thehorsewasreinedbackalmostonitshaunches，andforcedtowardstheculvert。
`Neveragain，’saidMahbub，`willItakeashodhorsefornight-work。
Theypickupallthebonesandnailsinthecity。’Hestoopedtoliftitsforefoot，andthatbroughthisheadwithinafootofKim’s。`Down-keepdown，’hemuttered。`Thenightisfullofeyes。’
`Twomenwaitthycomingbehindthehorse-trucks。Theywillshoottheeatthylyingdown，becausethereisapriceonthyhead。Iheard，sleepingnearthehorses。’
`Didstthouseethem？……Holdstill，SireofDevils！’Thisfuriouslytothehorse。
`No。’
`Wasonedressedbelikeasafakir？’
`Onesaidtotheother，`Whatmanneroffakirartthou，toshiveratalittlewatching？’’
`Good。Gobacktothecampandliedown。Idonotdietonight。’
Mahbubwheeledhishorseandvanished。Kimtorebackdowntheditchtillhereachedapointoppositehissecondresting-place，slippedacrosstheroadlikeaweasel，andre-coiledhimselfintheblanket。
`AtleastMahbubknows，’hethoughtcontentedly。`Andcertainlyhespokeasoneexpectingit。Idonotthinkthosetwomenwillprofitbytonight’swatch。’
Anhourpassed，and，withthebestwillintheworldtokeepawakeallnight，hesleptdeeply。Nowandagainanighttrainroaredalongthemetalswithintwentyfeetofhim；buthehadalltheOriental’sindifferencetomerenoise，anditdidnotevenweaveadreamthroughhisslumber。
Mahbubwasanythingbutasleep。Itannoyedhimvehementlythatpeopleoutsidehistribeandunaffectedbyhiscasualamoursshouldpursuehimforthelife。Hisfirstandnaturalimpulsewastocrossthelinelowerdown，workupagain，and，catchinghiswell-wishersfrombehind，summarilyslaythem。Here，hereflectedwithsorrow，anotherbranchoftheGovernment，totallyunconnectedwithColonelCreighton，mightdemandexplanationswhichwouldbehardtosupply；andheknewthatsouthoftheBorderaperfectlyridiculousfussismadeaboutacorpseorso。HehadnotbeentroubledinthiswaysincehesentKimtoUmballawiththemessage，andhopedthatsuspicionhadbeenfinallydiverted。
Thenamostbrilliantnotionstruckhim。
`TheEnglishdoeternallytellthetruth，’hesaid，`thereforeweofthiscountryareeternallymadefoolish。ByAllah，IwilltellthetruthtoanEnglishman！OfwhatuseistheGovernmentpoliceifapoorKabuliberobbedofhishorsesintheirverytrucks。ThisisasbadasPeshawur！
Ishouldlayacomplaintatthestation。Betterstill，someyoungSahibontheRailway！Theyarezealous，andiftheycatchthievesitisrememberedtotheirhonour。’
Hetieduphishorseoutsidethestation，andstrodeontotheplatform。
`Hullo，MahbubAli！’saidayoungAssistantDistrictTrafficSuperintendentwhowaswaitingtogodowntheline-atall，tow-haired，horseyyouthindingywhitelinen。`Whatareyoudoinghere？Sellingweeds-eh？’
`No；Iamnottroubledformyhorses。IcometolookforLutufUllah。
Ihaveatruck-loaduptheline。CouldanyonetakethemoutwithouttheRailway’sknowledge？’
`Shouldn’tthinkso，Mahbub。Youcanclaimagainstusiftheydo。’
`Ihaveseentwomencrouchingunderthewheelsofoneofthetrucksnearlyallnight。fakirsdonotstealhorses，soIgavethemnomorethought。IwouldfindLutufUllah，mypartner。’
`Thedeuceyoudid？Andyoudidn’tbotheryourheadaboutit？’Ponmyword，it’sjustalmostaswellthatImetyou。Whatweretheylike，eh？’
`Theywereonlyfakirs。Theywillnomorethantakealittlegrain，perhaps，fromoneofthetrucks。Therearemanyuptheline。TheStatewillnevermissthedole。Icamehereseekingformypartner，LutufUllah-’
`Nevermindyourpartner。Whereareyourhorse-trucks？’
`Alittletothissideofthefarthestplacewheretheymakelampsforthetrains。’
`Thesignal-box！Yes。’
`Andupontherailnearesttotheroadupontheright-handside-lookingupthelinethus。ButasregardsLutufUllah-atallmanwithabrokennose，andaPersiangreyhound-Aie！’
Theboyhadhurriedofftowakeupayoungandenthusiasticpoliceman；
for，ashesaid，theRailwayhadsufferedmuchfromdepredationsinthegoods-yard。MahbubAlichuckledinhisdyedbeard。
`Theywillwalkintheirboots，makinganoise，andthentheywillwonderwhytherearenofakirs。Theyareverycleverboys-BartonSahibandYoungSahib。’
Hewaitedidlyforafewminutes，expectingtoseethemhurryupthelinegirtforaction。Alightengineslidthroughthestation，andhecaughtaglimpseofyoungBartoninthecab。
`Ididthatchildaninjustice。Heisnotaltogetherafool，’saidMahbubAli。`Totakeafire-carriageforathiefisanewgame！’
WhenMahbubAlicametohiscampinthedawn，noonethoughtitworthwhiletotellhimanynewsofthenight。Noone，atleast，butonesmallhorseboy，newlyadvancedtothegreatman’sservice，whomMahbubcalledtohistinytenttoassistinsomepacking。
`Itisallknowntome，’whisperedKim，bendingabovesaddlebags。`TwoSahibscameuponate-train。Iwasrunningtoandfrointhedarkonthissideofthetrucksasthete-trainmovedupanddownslowly。
Theyfellupontwomensittingunderthistruck-Hajji，whatshallIdowiththislumpoftobacco？Wrapitinpaperandputitunderthesalt-bag？
Yes-andstruckthemdown。ButonemanstruckataSahibwithafakir’sbuck’shorn’Kimmeanttheconjoinedblack-buckhorns，whichareafakir’ssoletemporalweapon-`thebloodcame。SotheotherSahib，firstsmitinghisownmansenseless，smotethestabberwithashortgunwhichhadrolledfromthefirstman’shand。Theyallragedasthoughmadtogether。’
Mahbubsmiledwithheavenlyresignation。`No！Thatisnotsomuchdewanee[madness，oracaseforthecivilcourt-thewordcanbepunneduponbothways]asnizamut[acriminalcase]。Agun，sayestthou？Tengoodyearsinjail。’
`Thentheybothlaystill，butIthinktheywerenearlydeadwhentheywereputonthete-train。Theirheadsmovedthus。Andthereismuchbloodontheline。Comeandsee？’
`Ihaveseenbloodbefore。Jailisthesureplace-andassuredlytheywillgivefalsenames，andassuredlynomanwillfindthemforalongtime。
Theywereunfriendsofmine。Thyfateandmineseemononestring。Whatataleforthehealerofpearls！Nowswiftlywiththesaddle-bagsandthecooking-platter。WewilltakeoutthehorsesandawaytoSimla。’
Swiftly-asOrientalsunderstandspeed-withlongexplanations，withabuseandwindytalk，carelessly，amidahundredchecksforlittlethingsforgotten，theuntidycampbrokeupandledthehalf-dozenstiffandfretfulhorsesalongtheKalkaroadinthefreshoftherain-sweptdawn。Kim，regardedasMahbubAli’sfavouritebyallwhowishedtostandwellwiththePathan，wasnotcalledupontowork。Theystrolledonbytheeasiestofstages，haltingeveryfewhoursatawaysideshelter。VerymanySahibstravelalongtheKalkaroad；and，asMahbubAlisays，everyyoungSahibmustneedsesteemhimselfajudgeofahorse，and，thoughhebeoverheadindebttothemoney-lender，mustmakeasiftobuy。ThatwasthereasonthatSahibafterSahib，rollingalonginastage-carriage，wouldstopandopentalk。Somewouldevendescendfromtheirvehiclesandfeelthehorses’legs；askinginanequestions，or，throughsheerignoranceofthevernacular，grosslyinsultingtheimperturbabletrader。
`WhenfirstIdealtwithSahibs，andthatwaswhenColonelSoadySahibwasGovernorofFortAbazaiandfloodedtheCommissioner’scamping-groundforspite，’MahbubconfidedtoKimastheboyfilledhispipeunderatree，`Ididnotknowhowgreatlytheywerefools，andthismademewroth。Asthus-’andhetoldKimataleofanexpression，misusedinallinnocence，thatdoubledKimupwithmirth。`NowIsee，however，’-heexhaledsmokeslowly-`thatitiswiththemaswithallmen-incertainmatterstheyarewise，andinothersmostfoolish。Veryfoolishitistousethewrongwordtoastranger；forthoughtheheartmaybecleanofoffence，howisthestrangertoknowthat？Heismoreliketosearchtruthwithadagger。’