On the whole he began to prefer the society of Abdul's black and white goats, which bore a strong resemblance to Abdul himself, by the way, and had more of the spirit of adventure.

It was the goat, for example, that taught Sonny Sahib to walk on the extreme edge of the housetop and not tumble over.

In time they became great friends, Sonny Sahib and the goat, and always, when it was not too hot, they slept together.
Then two things happened.

First, Abdul died, and Sonny Sahib became acquainted with grief, both according to his own nature and according to the law of Mahomed.

Then, after he and Tooni had mourned sincerely with very little to eat for nine days, there clattered one day a horseman through the village at such a pace that everybody ran out to see.