At the far end of the camp, silent as a wild animal, an hour later sat Kim, newly washed all over, in a horrible stuff 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 beside ye will watch your slumbers.' CHAPTER VI 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 over-night. 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 some one 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 saddle-bow. 'Now, my son, your prophecy of last night has come true. Our orders are to entrain at Umballa for the front to-morrow.' '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,' he said; 'but even then--' He referred to the paper in his hand. 'Hang it all, the thing was only decided within the last forty-eight hours.' 'Are there many more like you in India?' said Father Victor, 'or are you by way o' being a lusus naturæ?'