w case stands. He comes up with
his men and he consorts with the lama, and then he calls me a fool, and
is very rude--'

'But wherefore--wherefore?'

'That is what I ask. I only suggest that if anyone steals the papers I
should like some good strong, brave men to rob them back again. You
see, they are vitally important, and Mahbub Ali he did not know where
you were.'

'Mahbub Ali to rob the Sahiba's house? Thou art mad, Babu,' said Kim
with indignation.

'I wanted the papers. Suppose she had stole them? It was only
practical suggestion, I think. You are not pleased, eh?'

A native proverb--unquotable--showed the blackness of Kim's disapproval.

'Well,'--Hurree shrugged his shoulders--'there is no accounting for
thee taste. Mahbub was angry too. He has sold horses all about here,
and he says old lady is pukka [thorough] old lady and would not
condescend to such ungentlemanly things. I do not care. I have got
the papers, and I was very glad of moral support from Mahbub. I tell
you, I am fearful man, but, somehow or other, the more fearful I am the
more dam'-tight places I get into. So I was glad you came with me to
Chini, and I am glad Mahbub was close by. The old lady she is
sometimes very rude to me and my beautiful pills.'

'Allah be merciful!' said Kim on his elbow, rejoicing. 'What a beast
of wonder is a Babu! And that man walked alone--if he did walk--with
robbed and angry foreigners!'

'Oah, thatt was nothing, after they had done beating me; but if I lost
the papers it was pretty-jolly serious. Mahbub he nearly beat me too,
and he went and consorted with the lama no end. I shall stick to
ethnological investigations henceforwards. Now good-bye, Mister
O'Hara. I can catch 4.25 p.m. to Umballa if I am quick. It will be
good times when we all tell thee tale up at Mr Lurgan's. I shall
report you offeecially better. Good-bye, my dear fallow, and when next
you are under thee emotions please do not use the Mohammedan terms with
the Tibetan dress.'

He shook hands twice--a Babu to his boot-heels--and opened the door.
With the fall of the sunlight upon his still triumphant face he
returned to the humble Dacca quack.

'He robbed them,' thought Kim, forgetting his own share in the game.
'He tricked them. He lied to them like a Bengali. They give him a
chit [a testimonial]. He makes them a mock at the risk of his life--I
never would have gone down to them after the pistol-shots--and then