of India as a chain-man. If he were very good, and passed the
proper examinations, he would be earning thirty rupees a month at
seventeen years old, and Colonel Creighton would see that he found
suitable employment.

Kim pretended at first to understand perhaps one word in three of
this talk. Then the Colonel, seeing his mistake, turned to fluent
and picturesque Urdu and Kim was contented. No man could be a fool
who knew the language so intimately, who moved so gently and
silently, and whose eyes were so different from the dull fat eyes
of other Sahibs.

'Yes, and thou must learn how to make pictures of roads and
mountains and rivers, to carry these pictures in thine eye till a
suitable time comes to set them upon paper. Perhaps some day, when
thou art a chain-man, I may say to thee when we are working
together: "Go across those hills and see what lies beyond." Then
one will say: "There are bad people living in those hills who will
slay the chain-man if he be seen to look like a Sahib." What then?'

Kim thought. Would it be safe to return the Colonel's lead?

'I would tell what that other man had said.'

'But if I answered: "I will give thee a hundred rupees for
knowledge of what is behind those hills - for a picture of a river
and a little news of what the people say in the villages there"?'

'How can I tell? I am only a boy. Wait till I am a man.' Then,
seeing the Colonel's brow clouded, he went on: 'But I think I