t yet remembered are;
Shaping my stories with this end in view
To gain the verdict "Tell some more, Mamma."

For I was happy when I had beguiled
Into my life the spirit of a child.
Thus one by one the weary hours flew
And page by page a little volume grew,
So--that my dreams with truth be reconciled,
Take it, my darling, it was writ for you.

_April, 1875_

Long years have sped since that poor book was penned.
None read the pages. Therefore at the end
Of this world's life I dedicate to two
Small boys--her sons--whose question'ng eyes of blue
Tell me that dreams of childhood never end
_This_ book. So take it boys--'twas writ for you.

_1911_

PREFACE

This book is written for all little lads and lasses, but especially for
the former, since it is the true--_quite_ true--story of a little lad
who lived to be, perhaps, the greatest king this world has ever seen.

It is a strange, wild tale this of the adventures of Prince Akbar among
the snowy mountains between Kandahar and Kabul, and though the names may
be a bit of a puzzle at first, as they will have to be learned by and
bye in geography and history lessons, it might be as well to get
familiar with them in a story-book; though, indeed, as everybody in it
except Roy the Rajput, Meroo the cook boy; Tumbu, the dog; and Down, the
cat (and these four _may_ have been true, you know, though they have not
been remembered) really lived, I don't know whether this book oughtn't
to be considered real history, and therefore

A LESSON BOOK

Anyhow, I hope you won't find it dull.

CONTENTS

PAGE
PREFACE

CHAPTER I
FAREWELL 1

CHAPTER II
THE FIRST VICTORY 11

CHAPTER III
THE ROYAL UMBRELLA 20

CHAPTER IV
TUMBU-DOWN 27

CHAPTER V
ON THE ROAD 39

CHAPTER VI
AT COURT 50

CHAPTER VII
WINTER 58

CHAPTER VIII
DOWN'S STRATAGEM 68

CHAPTER IX
SPRING 77

CHAPTER X
THE NIGHT OF RECORD 88

CHAPTER XI
A WINTER MARCH 100

CHAPTER XII
SNOW AND ICE 109

CHAPTER XIII
OVER THE PASS 119

CHAPTER XIV
IN THE VALLEY 128

CHAPTER XV
DEAREST-LADY 138

CHAPTER XVI
CRUEL BROTHER KUMRA