A bit of impudence had caught the king's fancy, and he brought up the boy, clothed, fed him, and sent him away down to Umballa to school.

When the boy returned he talked Umballa morning, noon and night, till the soldiers began to call him that, and from them it passed on to the natives, all of whom disliked the upstart.

Hanged if I can recall his real name.

He was ugly and handsome at the same time; suave, patient, courteous; yet somehow or other I sensed the real man below--the Tartar blood.

I took a dislike to him, first off.