have done that is cast into this shape.'

'I hate all snakes,' said Kim. No native training can quench the
white man's horror of the Serpent.

'Let him live out his life.' The coiled thing hissed and half
opened its hood. 'May thy release come soon, brother!' the lama
continued placidly. 'Hast thou knowledge, by chance, of my
River?'

'Never have I seen such a man as thou art,' Kim whispered,
overwhelmed. 'Do the very snakes understand thy talk?'

'Who knows?' He passed within a foot of the cobra's poised head.
It flattened itself among the dusty coils.

'Come, thou!' he called over his shoulder.

'Not I,' said Kim'. 'I go round.'

'Come. He does no hurt.'

Kim hesitated for a moment. The lama backed his order by some
droned Chinese quotation which Kim took for a charm. He obeyed
and bounded across the rivulet, and the snake, indeed, made no
sign.

'Never have I seen such a man.' Kim wiped the sweat from his
forehead. 'And now, whither go we?'