,
geography, and Persian. There were five boys altogether in the top
class, and of these, to the delight of the schoolmaster, the Inspector
declared four to have passed, among them being 'Alam Gul.

His father wanted to send 'Alam Gul to the Government school at
Kohat, but 'Alam Gul had a friend who had been reading in the Bannu
Mission School, and the tales that he had heard from him had given
him a great desire to be allowed to go there to study. His father,
however, was opposed to the idea, because the Mullah told him that
people who went to mission schools must become infidels, because they
were taught by Feringis, who were all infidels, and that if he sent
his son there he would excommunicate him.

There would have been no hope of 'Alam Gul attaining his wish had
it not been that just at that time the Subadar (native officer), an
uncle of 'Alam Gul's, came to the village on leave from his regiment,
which was stationed at Bannu, and it so happened that he had made
the acquaintance of the missionary in charge of the Bannu School,
and had been very favourably impressed with what he had seen of the
institution, and he offered to take 'Alam Gul back with him to the
regiment, and let him live with him.

The father had now to propitiate the Mullah, so he killed a sheep,
and made some luscious dishes with the meat, and some halwa, or sweet
pudding, which is supposed to be a delicacy to which the Mullahs are
very partial, and called his reverence in to partake of the feast;
and when his heart was merry, he propounded the scheme to him.

After he had heard the arguments of the Subadar, the Mullah relented,
and said that he knew how to make a charm which, if it were always
worn round the boy's neck, would effectually prevent him from being
contaminated by any heretical teaching which he might have in the
school; and if 'Alam Gul were admonished to be careful always to wear
this charm, he might safely be allowed to go with his uncle. So when
the leave of the latter expired, 'Alam Gul was put into his charge,
and went off with great excitement, filled with hopes of what he
would do in the great school of which he had heard so much.

The day after his arrival in Bannu the Subadar sent 'Alam Gul down
to the school in charge of a soldier of his regiment.

The soldier and 'Alam Gul came into the mission compound, and, seeing
some boys standing about, told them their errand. One of the boys
offered to take them to the head-ma