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。