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It is
a war of eight thousand men, besides the guns.'

'That's explicit. D'you add prophecy to your other gifts? Take him
along, sergeant. Take up a suit for him from the Drums, an' take
care he doesn't slip through your fingers. Who says the age of
miracles is gone by? I think I'll go to bed. My poor mind's
weakening.'

At the far end of the camp, silent as a wild animal, an hour later
sat Kim, newly washed all over, in a horrible stiff suit that
rasped his arms and legs.

'A most amazin' young bird,' said the sergeant. 'He turns up in
charge of a yellow-headed buck-Brahmin priest, with his father's
Lodge certificates round his neck, talkin' God knows what all of a
red bull. The buck-Brahmin evaporates without explanations, an' the
bhoy sets cross-legged on the Chaplain's bed prophesyin' bloody war
to the men at large. Injia's a wild land for a God-fearin' man.
I'll just tie his leg to the tent-pole in case he'll go through the
roof. What did ye say about the war?'

'Eight thousand men, besides guns,' said Kim. 'Very soon you will
see.'

'You're a consolin' little imp. Lie down between the Drums an' go
to bye-bye. Those two boys will watch your slumbers.'





Chapter 6


Now I remember comrades -
Old playmates on new seas -
Whenas we traded orpiment
Among the savages.
Ten thousand leagues to southward,
And thirty years removed -
They knew not noble Valdez,
But me they knew and loved.

Song of Diego Valdez.


Very early in the morning the white tents came down and disappeared
as the Mavericks took a side-road to Umballa. It did not skirt the
resting-place, and Kim, trudging beside a baggage-cart under fire
of comments from soldiers' wives, was not so confident as
overnight. He discovered that he was closely watched - Father
Victor on the one side, and Mr Bennett on the other.

In the forenoon the column checked. A camel-orderly handed the
Colonel a letter. He read it, and spoke to a Major. Half a mile in
the rear, Kim heard a hoarse and joyful clamour rolling down on him
through the thick dust. Then someone beat him on the back, crying:
'Tell us how ye knew, ye little limb of Satan? Father dear, see if
ye can make him tell.'

A pony ranged alongside, and he was hauled on to the priest's
saddlebow.

'Now, my son, your prophecy of last night has come true. Our orders
are to entrain at Umballa for the Front tomorrow.'

'What is thatt?' said Kim, for 'front' and 'entrain' were newish
words to him.

'We are going to "thee War," as you called it.'

'Of course you are going to thee War. I said last night.'

'Ye did; but, Powers o' Darkness, how did ye know?'

Kim's eyes sparkled. He shut his lips, nodded his head, and looked
unspeakable things. The Chaplain moved on through the dust, and
privates, sergeants, and subalterns called one another's attention
to the boy. The Colonel, at the head of the column, stared at him
curiously. 'It was probably some bazar rumour.

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