e now that the sign of the Red Bull was a sign for me as well as
for thee. All Desire is red--and evil. I will do penance and find my
River alone.'

'At least go back to the Kulu woman,' said Kim, 'otherwise thou wilt be
lost upon the roads. She will feed thee till I run back to thee.'

The lama waved a hand to show that the matter was finally settled in
his mind.

'Now,'--his tone altered as he turned to Kim,--'what will they do with
thee? At least I may, acquiring merit, wipe out past ill.'

'Make me a Sahib--so they think. The day after tomorrow I return. Do
not grieve.'

'Of what sort? Such an one as this or that man?' He pointed to Father
Victor. 'Such an one as those I saw this evening, men wearing swords
and stamping heavily?'

'Maybe.'

'That is not well. These men follow desire and come to emptiness. Thou
must not be of their sort.'

'The Umballa priest said that my Star was War,' Kim interjected. 'I
will ask these fools--but there is truly no need. I will run away this
night, for all I wanted to see the new things.'

Kim put two or three questions in English to Father Victor, translating
the replies to the lama.

Then: 'He says, "You take him from me and you cannot say what you will
make him." He says, "Tell me before I go, for it is not a small thing
to make a child."'

'You will be sent to a school. Later on, we shall see. Kimball, I
suppose you'd like to be a soldier?'

'Gorah-log [white-folk]. No-ah! No-ah!' Kim shook his head
violently. There was nothing in his composition to which drill and
routine appealed. 'I will not be a soldier.'

'You will be what you're told to be,' said Bennett; 'and you should be
grateful that we're going to help you.'

Kim smiled compassionately. If these men lay under the delusion that
he would do anything that he did not fancy, so much the better.

Another long silence followed. Bennett fidgeted with impatience, and
suggested calling a sentry to evict the fakir.

'Do they give or sell learning among the Sahibs? Ask them,' said the
lama, and Kim interpreted.

'They say that money is paid to the teacher--but that money the
Regiment will give ... What need? It is only for a night.'

'And--the more money is paid the better learning is given?' The lama
disregarded Kim's plans for an early flight. 'It is no wrong to pay
for learning. To help the ignorant to wisdom is always a merit.' The
rosary clicked furiously as an abacus. Th