e his teeth had found
Won-tolla's flank, Mowgli's knife was in his throat, and Gray Brother
took what was left.

"And thus do we do in the Jungle," said Mowgli.

Won-tolla said not a word, only his jaws were closing and closing on the
backbone as his life ebbed. The dhole shuddered, his head dropped, and
he lay still, and Won-tolla dropped above him.

"Huh! The Blood Debt is paid," said Mowgli. "Sing the song, Won-tolla."

"He hunts no more," said Gray Brother; "and Akela, too, is silent this
long time."

"The bone is cracked!" thundered Phao, son of Phaona. "They go! Kill,
kill out, O hunters of the Free People!"

Dhole after dhole was slinking away from those dark and bloody sands to
the river, to the thick Jungle, up-stream or down-stream as he saw the
road clear.

"The debt! The debt!" shouted Mowgli. "Pay the debt! They have slain the
Lone Wolf! Let not a dog go!"

He was flying to the river, knife in hand, to check any dhole who dared
to take water, when, from under a mound of nine dead, rose Akela's head
and fore-quarters, and Mowgli dropped on his knees beside the Lone Wolf.

"Said I not it would be my last fight?" Akela gasped. "It is good
hunting. And thou, Little Brother?"

"I live, having killed many."

"Even so. I die, and I would--I would die by thee, Little Brother."

Mowgli took the terrible scarred head on his knees, and put his arms
round the torn neck.

"It is long since the old days of Shere Khan, and a Man-cub that rolled
naked in the dust."

"Nay, nay, I am a wolf. I am of one skin with the Free People," Mowgli
cried. "It is no will of mine that I am a man."

"Thou art a man, Little Brother, wolfling of my watching. Thou art a
man, or else the Pack had fled before the dhole. My life I owe to thee,
and to-day thou hast saved the Pack even as once I saved thee. Hast thou
forgotten? All debts are paid now. Go to thine own people. I tell thee
again, eye of my eye, this hunting is ended. Go to thine own people."

"I will never go. I will hunt alone in the Jungle. I have said it."

"After the summer come the Rains, and after the Rains comes the spring.
Go back before thou art driven."

"Who will drive me?"

"Mowgli will drive Mowgli. Go back to thy people. Go to Man."

"When Mowgli drives Mowgli I will go," Mowgli answered.

"There is no more to say," said Akela. "Little Brother, canst thou raise
me to my feet? I also was a leader of the Free People."

Very carefully and gentl