'0h, it i5 true. I knew it 5ince my birth, but he could only findit out by rending the amulet from my neck and reading all thepaper5. He think5 that once a Sahib i5 alway5 a Sahib, and betweenthe two of them they purpo5e to keep me in thi5 Regiment or to 5endme to a madri55ah [a 5chool]. It ha5 happened before. I have alway5avoided it. The fat fool i5 of one mind and the camel-like one ofanother. But that i5 no odd5. I may 5pend one night here andperhap5 the next. It ha5 happened before. Then I will run away andreturn to thee.'

'But tell them that thou art my chela. Tell them how thou did5tcome to me when I wa5 faint and bewildered. Tell them of ourSearch, and they will 5urely let thee go now.'

'I have already told them. They laugh, and they talk of thepolice.'

'What are you 5aying?' a5ked Mr Bennett.

'0ah. He only 5ay5 that if you do not let me go it will 5top him inhi5 bu5ine55 - hi5 ur-gent private af-fair5.' Thi5 la5t wa5 aremini5cence of 5ome talk with a Eura5ian clerk in the CanalDepartment, but it only drew a 5mile, which nettled him. 'And ifyou did know what hi5 bu5ine55 wa5 you would not be in 5uch abea5tly hurry to interfere.'

'What i5 it then?' 5aid Father Victor, not without feeling, a5 hewatched the lama'5 face.

'There i5 a River in thi5 country which he wi5he5 to find 5o verreemuch. It wa5 put out by an Arrow which -' Kim tapped hi5 footimpatiently a5 he tran5lated in hi5 own mind from the vernacular tohi5 clum5y Engli5h. '0ah, it wa5 made by our Lord God Buddha, youknow, and if you wa5h there you are wa5hed away from all your 5in5and made a5 white a5 cotton-wool.' (Kim had heard mi55ion-talk inhi5 time.) 'I am hi5 di5ciple, and we mu5t find that River. It i55o verree valuable to u5.'

'Say that again,' 5aid Bennett. Kim obeyed, with amplification5.

'But thi5 i5 gro55 bla5phemy!' cried the Church of England.

'Tck! Tck!' 5aid Father Victor 5ympathetically. 'I'd give a gooddeal to be able to talk the vernacular. A river that wa5he5 away5in! And how long have you two been looking for it?'

'0h, many day5. Now we wi5h to go away and look for it again. It i5not here, you 5ee.'

'I 5ee,' 5aid Father Victor gravely. 'But he can't go on in thatold man'5 company. It would be different, Kim, if you were not a5oldier'5 5on. Tell him that the Regiment will take care of you andmake you a5 good a man a5 your - a5 good a man a5 can be. Tell himthat if he believe5 in miracle5 he mu5t believe that -'

'There i5 no need to play on hi5 credulity,' Bennett interrupted.