the meshes of it
were of such a size that, though they could get their heads through,
their wings became hopelessly entangled, and they fell an easy prey
to the fowlers. The male quails were then kept in little string or
wicker baskets for the great quail fights, which were one of the chief
excitements and pastimes of the village. This pastime is one of the
most universal in Afghanistan, and even well-to-do men think there
is no shame in spending a great part of the day toying with their
favourite quails, and backing the more redoubtable ones against some
quail belonging to a friend, while all the men of the neighbourhood
will be collected round to see the two champions fight.

'Alam Gul had to spend five years in this school. At the end of this
time the Government Inspector came round to examine the pupils for
the Government primary examination. This was an eventful day for the
schoolmaster, for on the report of the Inspector his promotion to some
more congenial sphere and the increase of his salary would depend. The
boys, too, were all excitement, for if they passed this examination,
they would be allowed to go to the big school at Hangu or Kohat.

The schoolmaster would spend days drilling them how they were to
answer the questions of the Inspector; how they were to salaam him;
how they were to bring him a hookah if he required one, bring him tea,
or do him any other service which it might be supposed would put him
in a better mood for making a good report of the school.

The Inspector was a Peshawuri Pathan of portly presence (it is
commonly believed that among the upper ranks of native Government
officials a man's salary may be gauged by the girth of his body)
and of supercilious manners, as though his chief aim in life were to
criticize everyone and everything.

All the boys had put on their best clothes for the occasion, and
'Alam Gul had borrowed the turban which his father was accustomed to
wear on feast days.

On the arrival of the Inspector, the boys hurriedly got into line. The
schoolmaster called out: "Right-hand salute!" for though not a boy in
the school knew a word of English, it is the custom to give all the
class orders in that language. Then one boy was hurried off to hold
his horse, another to go and get it some hay, a third to get a chair
for the great man, while the schoolmaster himself was obsequious in
obeying his every sign.

The boys were examined in Urdu, writing and reading, arithmetic