“Because he came first, running for his life, leaping ere the Little People were aware, and was in the river when they gathered to kill. The Pack, following, was altogether lost under the weight of the Little People.” “The buck lived?” Mowgli repeated slowly. “At least he did not die THEN, though none waited his coming down with a strong body to hold him safe against the water, as a certain old fat, deaf, yellow Flathead would wait for a Manling--yea, though there were all the dholes of the Dekkan on his trail. What is in thy stomach?” Kaa’s head was close to Mowgli’s ear; and it was a little time before the boy answered. “It is to pull the very whiskers of Death, but--Kaa, thou art, indeed, the wisest of all the Jungle.” “So many have said. Look now, if the dhole follow thee----” “As surely they will follow. Ho! ho! I have many little thorns under my tongue to prick into their hides.” “If they follow thee hot and blind, looking only at thy shoulders, those who do not die up above will take water either here or lower down, for the Little People will rise up and cover them. Now the Waingunga is hungry water, and they will have no Kaa to hold them, but will go down, such as live, to the shallows by the Seeonee Lairs, and there thy Pack may meet them by the throat.” “Ahai! Eowawa! Better could not be till the Rains fall in the dry season. There is now only the little matter of the run and the leap. I will make me known to the dholes, so that they shall follow me very closely.” “Hast thou seen the rocks above thee? From the landward side?” “Indeed, no. That I had forgotten.” “Go look. It is all rotten ground, cut and full of holes. One of thy clumsy feet set down without seeing would end the hunt. See, I leave thee here, and for thy sake only I will carry word to the Pack that they may know where to look for the dhole. For myself, I am not of one skin with ANY wolf.” When Kaa disliked an acquaintance he could be more unpleasant than any of the Jungle People, except perhaps Bagheera. He swam down-stream, and opposite the Rock he came on Phao and Akela listening to the night noises. “Hssh! Dogs,” he said cheerfully. “The dholes will come down-stream. If ye be not afraid ye can kill them in the shallows.” “When come they?” said Phao. “And where is my Man-cub?” said Akela. “They come when they come,” said Kaa. “Wait and see. As for THY Man-cub, from whom thou hast taken a Word and so laid him open to Death, THY Man-cub is with ME, and if he be not already dead the fault is none of thine, bleached dog! Wait here for the dhole, and be glad that the Man-cub and I strike on thy side.” Kaa flashed up-stream again, and moored himself in the middle of the gorge, looking upward at the line of the cliff. Presently he saw Mowgli’s head move against the stars, and then there was a whizz in the air, the keen, clean schloop of a body falling feet first, and next minute the boy was at rest again in the loop of Kaa’s body.