I often wanted to go and measure, as I felt sure that I was growing, but waited patiently for Sunday morning. It came. The result was surprising. I was above the mark, while the other boy had not grown a hair’s breadth. I was elated, and determined to increase my efforts. The extra food, the abundant exercise, the stretching, bending, pulling myself upwards was everything, but I could not get rid of the idea that my mind had a good deal to do with it, so I thought constantly of growing, longing to be taller, wishing it with all the power of my mind. Aside from my studies, my mind was wholly absorbed in growing taller. I reasoned upon the subject like a philosopher, to get every advantage I could. Another week passed, again I had grown, and so on for a number of weeks, a little more each week. Then I became somewhat frightened. What if I go on at this rate? I would be like a tall bamboo, a great, awkward pole of a boy and man. I thought of our sahib; a tall, lean, lanky man, who seemed as if he never got enough to eat. Years afterward, when I could think more naturally, I concluded that he had stretched himself so much trying to look into heaven to learn about God’s decrees that he neglected broadening himself toward his fellowmen, for his religion was such a straight up and down thing that it lacked all breadth. He had so much theology, that it made him lean to carry it. The boys could not suggest a question about anything, but he had a cut and dried answer ready, as if he had it pressed and laid away in a drawer, like a botanical specimen. Everything in him was dried and prepared with care without any of the juice left. He was a good and kind-hearted man, in his way, but his way was very narrow. Yet, I can say this of him, without any exaggeration, that I think he did more good than harm, and is not that saying a great deal to the credit of anybody? I was greatly pleased with the result of my endeavors, though somewhat alarmed at what might happen. If necessary, to prevent myself growing too tall, I would stop eating, take no exercise, carry a weight in my turban, and at night have two sticks, one at the head and the other at the foot of my charpoy, to keep me from stretching out too much; with these provisions in mind, I concluded to run the risk and go on for a few weeks longer. The same result followed.