allow him three days' grace, though I don't believe it at all. Even
then, if he fails in his payments later on ... but it's beyond
me. We can only walk one step at a time in this world, praise God!
An' they sent Bennett to the Front an' left me behind. Bennett
can't expect everything.'

'Oah yess,' said Kim vaguely.

The priest leaned forward. 'I'd give a month's pay to find what's
goin' on inside that little round head of yours.'

'There is nothing,' said Kim, and scratched it. He was wondering
whether Mahbub Ali would send him as much as a whole rupee. Then he
could pay the letter-writer and write letters to the lama at
Benares. Perhaps Mahbub Ali would visit him next time he came south
with horses. Surely he must know that Kim's delivery of the letter
to the officer at Umballa had caused the great war which the men
and boys had discussed so loudly over the barrack dinner-tables.
But if Mahbub Ali did not know this, it would be very unsafe to
tell him so. Mahbub Ali was hard upon boys who knew, or thought
they knew, too much.

'Well, till I get further news' - Father Victor's voice interrupted
the reverie. 'Ye can run along now and play with the other boys.
They'll teach ye something - but I don't think ye'll like it.'

The day dragged to its weary end. When he wished to sleep he was
instructed how to fold up his clothes and set out his boots; the
other boys deriding. Bugles waked him in the dawn; the schoolmaster
caught him after breakfast, thrust a page of meaningless characters