Threemilesoff，onUmballaracecourse，MahbubAli，reiningagreyKabulistallionwithKiminfrontofhim，wassaying：
`But，LittleFriendofalltheWorld，thereismyhonourandreputationtobeconsidered。Alltheofficer-Sahibsinalltheregiments，andallUmballa，knowMahbubAli。Mensawmepicktheeupandchastisethatboy。Weareseennowfromfaracrossthisplain。HowcanItaketheeaway，oraccountforthydisappearingifIsettheedownandlettheerunoffintothecrops？Theywouldputmeinjail。Bepatient。OnceaSahib，alwaysaSahib。Whenthouartaman-whoknows？-thouwiltbegratefultoMahbubAli。’
`TakemebeyondtheirsentrieswhereIcanchangethisred。GivememoneyandIwillgotoBenaresandbewithmylamaagain。IdonotwanttobeaSahib，andrememberIdiddeliverthatmessage。’
Thestallionboundedwildly。MahbubAlihadincautiouslydrivenhomethesharp-edgedstirrup。Hewasnotthenewsortoffluenthorse-dealerwhowearsEnglishbootsandspurs。Kimdrewhisownconclusionsfromthatbetrayal。
`Thatwasasmallmatter。ItlayonthestraightroadtoBenares。I
andtheSahibhavebythistimeforgottenit。Isendsomanylettersandmessagestomenwhoaskquestionsabouthorses，Icannotwellrememberonefromtheother。WasitsomematterofabaymarethatPetersSahibwishedthepedigreeof？’
Kimsawthetrapatonce。IfhehadsaidbaymareMahbubwouldhaveknownbyhisveryreadinesstofallinwiththeamendmentthattheboysuspectedsomething。Kimrepliedtherefore：
`Baymare。No。Idonotforgetmymessagesthus。Itwasawhitestallion。’
`Ay，soitwas。AwhiteArabstallion。Butthoudidstwritebaymaretome。’
`Whocarestotelltruthtoaletter-writer？’Kimanswered，feelingMahbub’spalmonhisheart。
`Hi！Mahbub，youoldvillain，pullup！’criedavoice，andanEnglishmanracedalongsideonalittlepolo-pony。`I’vebeenchasingyouhalfoverthecountry。ThatKabuliofyourscango。Forsale，Isuppose？’
`IhavesomeyoungstuffcomingonmadebyHeavenforthedelicateanddifficultpolo-game。Hehasnoequal。He-’
`Playspoloandwaitsattable。Yes。Weknowallthat。Whatthedeucehaveyougotthere？’
`Aboy，’saidMahbubgravely。`Hewasbeingbeatenbyanotherboy。Hisfatherwasonceawhitesoldierinthebigwar。TheboywasachildinLahorecity。Heplayedwithmyhorseswhenhewasababe。NowIthinktheywillmakehimasoldier。Hehasbeennewlycaughtbyhisfather’sRegimentthatwentuptothewarlastweek。ButIdonotthinkhewantstobeasoldier。Itakehimforaride。TellmewherethybarracksareandIwillsettheethere。’
`Letmego。Icanfindthebarracksalone。’
`Andifthourunnestawaywhowillsayitisnotmyfault？’
`He’llrunbacktohisdinner。Wherehashetorunto？’theEnglishmanasked。
`Hewasbornintheland。Hehasfriends。Hegoeswherehechooses。
Heisachabuksawai[asharpchap]。Itneedsonlytochangehisclothing，andinatwinklinghewouldbealow-casteHinduboy。’
`Thedeucehewould！’TheEnglishmanlookedcriticallyattheboyasMahbubheadedtowardsthebarracks。Kimgroundhisteeth。Mahbubwasmockinghim，asfaithlessAfghanswill；forhewenton：
`Theywillsendhimtoaschoolandputheavybootsonhisfeetandswaddlehimintheseclothes。Thenhewillforgetallheknows。Now，whichofthebarracksisthine？’
Kimpointed-hecouldnotspeak-toFatherVictor’swing，allstaringwhitenearby。
`Perhapshewillmakeagoodsoldier，’saidMahbubreflectively。`Hewillmakeagoodorderlyatleast。IsenthimtodeliveramessageoncefromLahore。Amessageconcerningthepedigreeofawhitestallion。’
Herewasdeadlyinsultondeadlierinjury-andtheSahibtowhomhehadsocraftilygiventhatwar-wakingletterhearditall。KimbeheldMahbubAlifryinginflameforhistreachery，butforhimselfhesawonelonggreyvistaofbarracks，schools，andbarracksagain。Hegazedimploringlyattheclear-cutfaceinwhichtherewasnoglimmerofrecognition；butevenatthisextremityitneveroccurredtohimtothrowhimselfonthewhiteman’smercyortodenouncetheAfghan。AndMahbubstareddeliberatelyattheEnglishman，whostaredasdeliberatelyatKim，quiveringandtongue-tied。
`Myhorseiswelltrained，’saidthedealer。`Otherswouldhavekicked，Sahib。’
`Ah，’saidtheEnglishmanatlast，rubbinghispony’sdampwitherswithhiswhip-butt。`Whomakestheboyasoldier？’
`HesaystheRegimentthatfoundhim，andespeciallythePadre-sahibofthatregiment。’
`ThereisthePadre！’Kimchokedasbare-headedFatherVictorsaileddownuponthemfromtheveranda。
`Powerso’Darknessbelow，O’Hara！HowmanymoremixedfriendsdoyoukeepinAsia？’hecried，asKimsliddownandstoodhelplesslybeforehim。
`Goodmorning，Padre，’theEnglishmansaidcheerily。`Iknowyoubyreputationwellenough。Meanttohavecomeoverandcalledbeforethis。
I’mCreighton。’
`OftheEthnologicalSurvey？’saidFatherVictor。TheEnglishmannodded。
`Faith，I’mgladtomeetyethen；an’Ioweyousomethanksforbringingbacktheboy。’
`Nothankstome，Padre。Besides，theboywasn’tgoingaway。Youdon’tknowoldMahbubAli。’Thehorse-dealersatimpassiveinthesunlight。`Youwillwhenyouhavebeeninthestationamonth。Hesellsusallourcrocks。
Thatboyisratheracuriosity。Canyoutellmeanythingabouthim？’
`CanItellyou？’puffedFatherVictor。`You’llbetheonemanthatcouldhelpmeinmyquandaries。Tellyou！Powerso’Darkness，I’mburstingtotellsomeonewhoknowssomethingo’thenative！’
Agroomcameroundthecorner。ColonelCreightonraisedhisvoice，speakinginUrdu。`Verygood，MahbubAli，butwhatistheuseoftellingmeallthosestoriesaboutthepony？NotonepicemorethanthreehundredandfiftyrupeeswillIgive。’
`TheSahibisalittlehotandangryafterriding，’thehorse-dealerreturned，withtheleerofaprivilegedjester。`Presently，hewillseemyhorse’spointsmoreclearly。IwillwaittillhehasfinishedhistalkwiththePadre。Iwillwaitunderthattree。’
`Confoundyou！’TheColonellaughed。`ThatcomesoflookingatoneofMahbub’shorses。He’saregularoldleech，Padre。Wait，then，ifthouhastsomuchtimetospare，Mahbub。NowI’matyourservice，Padre。Whereistheboy？Oh，he’sgoneofftocolloguewithMahbub。Queersortofboy。
MightIaskyoutosendmymareroundundercover？’
HedroppedintoachairwhichcommandedaclearviewofKimandMahbubAliinconferencebeneaththetree。ThePadrewentindoorsforcheroots。
CreightonheardKimsaybitterly：`TrustaBrahminbeforeasnake，andasnakebeforeanharlot，andanharlotbeforeaPathan，MahbubAli。’
`Thatisallone。’Thegreatredbeardwaggedsolemnly。`Childrenshouldnotseeacarpetontheloomtillthepatternismadeplain。Believeme，FriendofalltheWorld，Idotheegreatservice。Theywillnotmakeasoldierofthee。’
`Youcraftyoldsinner！’thoughtCreighton。`Butyou’renotfarwrong。
Thatboymustn’tbewastedifheisasadvertised。’
`Excusemehalfaminute，’criedthePadrefromwithin，`butI’mgettin’
thedocumentsinthecase。’
`IfthroughmethefavourofthisboldandwiseColonelSahibcomestothee，andthouartraisedtohonour，whatthankswiltthougiveMahbubAliwhenthouartaman？’
`Nay，nay！IbeggedtheetoletmetaketheRoadagain，whereIshouldhavebeensafe；andthouhastsoldmebacktotheEnglish。Whatwilltheygivetheeforblood-money？’
`Acheerfulyoungdemon！’TheColonelbithiscigar，andturnedpolitelytoFatherVictor。
`WhatarethelettersthatthefatpriestiswavingbeforetheColonel？
Standbehindthestallionasthoughlookingatmybridle！’saidMahbubAli。
`AletterfrommylamawhichhewrotefromJagadhirRoad，sayingthathewillpaythreehundredrupeesbytheyearformyschooling。’
`Oho！IsoldRedHatofthatsort？Atwhichschool？’
`Godknows。IthinkinNucklao。’
`Yes。ThereisabigschoolthereforthesonsofSahibs-andhalf-Sahibs。
IhaveseenitwhenIsellhorsesthere。SothelamaalsolovedtheFriendofalltheWorld？’
`Ay；andhedidnottelllies，orreturnmetocaptivity。’
`SmallwonderthePadredoesnotknowhowtounravelthethread。HowfasthetalkstotheColonelSahib！’MahbubAlichuckled。`ByAllah！’-
thekeeneyesswepttheverandaforaninstant-`thylamahassentwhattomelookslikeanoteofhand。Ihavehadsomefewdealingsinhoondis。