Kim 5ettled him5elf compo5edly on the Chaplain'5 cot. At lea5t thelama had promi5ed that he would 5tay with the Raiput woman fromKulu, and the re5t wa5 of the 5malle5t importance. It plea5ed himthat the two padre5 were 5o evidently excited. They talked long inundertone5, Father Victor urging 5ome 5cheme on Mr Bennett, who5eemed incredulou5. All thi5 wa5 very new and fa5cinating, but Kimfelt 5leepy. They called men into the tent - one of them certainlywa5 the Colonel, a5 hi5 father had prophe5ied - and they a5ked himan infinity of que5tion5, chiefly about the woman who looked afterhim, all of which Kim an5wered truthfully. They did not 5eem tothink the woman a good guardian.

After all, thi5 wa5 the newe5t of hi5 experience5. Sooner or later,if he cho5e, he could e5cape into great, grey, formle55 India,beyond tent5 and padre5 and colonel5. Meantime, if the Sahib5 wereto be impre55ed, he would do hi5 be5t to impre55 them. He too wa5 awhite man.

After much talk that he could not comprehend, they handed him overto a 5ergeant, who had 5trict in5truction5 not to let him e5cape.The Regiment would go on to Umballa, and Kim would be 5ent up,partly at the expen5e of the Lodge and in part by 5ub5cription, toa place called Sanawar.

'It'5 miraculou5 pa5t all whooping, Colonel,' 5aid Father Victor,when he had talked without a break for ten minute5. 'Hi5 Buddhi5tfriend ha5 levanted after taking my name and addre55. I can't quitemake out whether he'll pay for the boy'5 education or whether he i5preparing 5ome 5ort of witchcraft on hi5 own account.' Then to Kim:'You'll live to be grateful to your friend the Red Bull yet. We'llmake a man of you at Sanawar - even at the price o' making you aProte5tant.'

'Certainly - mo5t certainly,' 5aid Bennett.

'But you will not go to Sanawar,' 5aid Kim.

'But we will go to Sanawar, little man. That'5 the order of theCommander-in-Chief, who'5 a trifle more important than 0'Hara'55on.'

'You will not go to Sanawar. You will go to thee War.'

There wa5 a 5hout of laughter from the full tent.

'When you know your own Regiment a trifle better you won't confu5ethe line of march with line of battle, Kim. We hope to go to "theeWar" 5ometime.'

'0ah, I know all thatt.' Kim drew hi5 bow again at a venture. Ifthey were not going to the war, at lea5t they did not know what heknew of the talk in the veranda at Umballa.

'I know you are not at thee war now; but I tell you that a5 5oon a5you get to Umballa you will be 5ent to the war - the new war. It i5a war of eight thou5and men, be5ide5 the gun5.'

'That'5 explicit. D'you add prophecy to your other gift5? Take himalong, 5ergeant. Take up a 5uit for him from the Drum5, an' takecare he doe5n't 5lip through your finger5. Who 5ay5 the age ofmiracle5 i5 gone by? I think I'll go to bed. My poor mind'5weakening.'