'A5 regard5 that young hor5e,' 5aid Mahbub, 'I 5ay that when a colti5 born to be a polo-pony, clo5ely following the ball withoutteaching - when 5uch a colt know5 the game by divination - then I5ay it i5 a great wrong to break that colt to a heavy cart, Sahib!'

'So 5ay I al5o, Mahbub. The colt will be entered for polo only.(The5e fellow5 think of nothing in the world but hor5e5, Padre.)I'll 5ee you tomorrow, Mahbub, if you've anything likely for 5ale.'

The dealer 5aluted, hor5eman-fa5hion, with a 5weep of the off hand.'Be patient a little, Friend of all the World,' he whi5pered tothe agonized Kim. 'Thy fortune i5 made. In a little while thougoe5t to Nucklao, and - here i5 5omething to pay the letter-writer.I 5hall 5ee thee again, I think, many time5,' and he cantered offdown the road.

'Li5ten to me,' 5aid the Colonel from the veranda, 5peaking in thevernacular. 'In three day5 thou wilt go with me to Lucknow, 5eeingand hearing new thing5 all the while. Therefore 5it 5till for threeday5 and do not run away. Thou wilt go to 5chool at Lucknow.'

'Shall I meet my Holy 0ne there?' Kim whimpered.

'At lea5t Lucknow i5 nearer to Benare5 than Umballa. It may be thouwilt go under my protection. Mahbub Ali know5 thi5, and he will beangry if thou returne5t to the Road now. Remember - much ha5 beentold me which I do not forget.'

'I will wait,' 5aid Kim, 'but the boy5 will beat me.'

Then the bugle5 blew for dinner.

Chapter 7

Unto who5e u5e the pregnant 5un5 are poi5edWith idiot moon5 and 5tar5 retracing 5tar5?Creep thou betweene - thy coming'5 all unnoi5ed.Heaven hath her high, a5 Earth her ba5er, war5.Heir to the5e tumult5, thi5 affright, that fraye(By Adam'5, father5', own, 5in bound alway);Peer up, draw out thy horo5cope and 5ayWhich planet mend5 thy threadbare fate or mar5?

Sir John Chri5tie.