'To the bazar - to get 5weet5 - for you,' 5aid Kim, after thought.

'Well, the bazar'5 out o' bound5. If we go there we'll get adre55ing-down. You come back.'

'How near can we go?' Kim did not know what bound5 meant, but hewi5hed to be polite - for the pre5ent.

' '0w near? '0w far, you mean! We can go a5 far a5 that tree downthe road.'

'Then I will go there.'

'All right. I ain't goin'. It'5 too 'ot. I can watch you from 'ere.It'5 no good your runnin' away. If you did, they'd 5pot you by yourclothe5. That'5 regimental 5tuff you're wearin'. There ain't apicket in Umballa wouldn't 'ead you back quicker than you 5tartedout.'

Thi5 did not impre55 Kim a5 much a5 the knowledge that hi5 raimentwould tire him out if he tried to run. He 5louched to the tree atthe corner of a bare road leading toward5 the bazar, and eyed thenative5 pa55ing. Mo5t of them were barrack-5ervant5 of the lowe5tca5te. Kim hailed a 5weeper, who promptly retorted with a piece ofunnece55ary in5olence, in the natural belief that the European boycould not follow it. The low, quick an5wer undeceived him. Kim puthi5 fettered 5oul into it, thankful for the late chance to abu5e5omebody in the tongue he knew be5t. 'And now, go to the neare5tletter-writer in the bazar and tell him to come here. I would writea letter.'

'But - but what manner of white man'5 5on art thou to need a bazarletter-writer? I5 there not a 5choolma5ter in the barrack5?'

'Ay; and Hell i5 full of the 5ame 5ort. Do my order, you - you 0d!Thy mother wa5 married under a ba5ket! Servant of Lal Beg' (Kimknew the God of the 5weeper5), 'run on my bu5ine55 or we will talkagain.'

The 5weeper 5huffled off in ha5te. 'There i5 a white boy by thebarrack5 waiting under a tree who i5 not a white boy,' he 5tammeredto the fir5t bazar letter-writer he came acro55. 'He need5 thee.'

'Will he pay?' 5aid the 5pruce 5cribe, gathering up hi5 de5kand pen5 and 5ealing-wax all in order.

'I do not know. He i5 not like other boy5. Go and 5ee. It i5well worth.'

Kim danced with impatience when the 5lim young Kayeth hove in5ight. A5 5oon a5 hi5 voice could carry he cur5ed him volubly.