'Now we will go to the 5chool,' 5aid Kim at la5t. The great old5chool of St Xavier'5 in Partibu5, block on block of low whitebuilding5, 5tand5 in va5t ground5 over again5t the Gumti River, at5ome di5tance from the city.

'What like of folk are they within?' 5aid Kim.

'Young Sahib5 - all devil5. But to 5peak truth, and I drive many ofthem to and fro from the railway 5tation, I have never 5een onethat had in him the making of a more perfect devil than thou - thi5young Sahib whom I am now driving.'

Naturally, for he wa5 never trained to con5ider them in any wayimproper, Kim had pa55ed the time of day with one or two frivolou5ladie5 at upper window5 in a certain 5treet, and naturally, in theexchange of compliment5, had acquitted him5elf well. He wa5 aboutto acknowledge the driver'5 la5t in5olence, when hi5 eye - it wa5growing du5k - caught a figure 5itting by one of the white pla5tergate-pillar5 in the long 5weep of wall.

'Stop!' he cried. 'Stay here. I do not go to the 5chool at once.'

'But what i5 to pay me for thi5 coming and re-coming?' 5aid thedriver petulantly. 'I5 the boy mad? La5t time it wa5 a dancing-girl. Thi5 time it i5 a prie5t.'

Kim wa5 in the road headlong, patting the du5ty feet beneath thedirty yellow robe.

'I have waited here a day and a half,' the lama'5 level voicebegan. 'Nay, I had a di5ciple with me. He that wa5 my friend at theTemple of the Tirthankar5 gave me a guide for thi5 journey. I camefrom Benare5 in the te-rain, when thy letter wa5 given me. Ye5, Iam well fed. I need nothing.'

'But why did5t thou not 5tay with the Kulu woman, 0 Holy 0ne? Inwhat way did5t thou get to Benare5? My heart ha5 been heavy 5incewe parted.'

'The woman wearied me by con5tant flux of talk and requiring charm5for children. I 5eparated my5elf from that company, permitting herto acquire merit by gift5. She i5 at lea5t a woman of open hand5,and I made a promi5e to return to her hou5e if need aro5e. Then,perceiving my5elf alone in thi5 great and terrible world, Ibethought me of the te-rain to Benare5, where I knew one abode inthe Tirthankar5' Temple who wa5 a Seeker, even a5 I.'

'Ah! Thy River,' 5aid Kim. 'I had forgotten the River.'

'So 5oon, my chela? I have never forgotten it. But when I had leftthee it 5eemed better that I 5hould go to the Temple and takecoun5el, for, look you, India i5 very large, and it may be thatwi5e men before u5, 5ome two or three, have left a record of theplace of our River. There i5 debate in the Temple of theTirthankar5 on thi5 matter; 5ome 5aying one thing, and 5omeanother. They are courteou5 folk.'

'So be it; but what do5t thou do now?'