He wanted them to improve by association with him, and to that end he took pains to show them the advantage which a habit of observing everything and thinking about it gives its possessor.

For this reason he took pains to make no display of his knowledge of Latin or of anything else which they had no chance to learn.

He wanted them to learn to use their eyes, their ears and their heads, knowing very well that the greater as well as the better part of education comes by observation and thinking, rather than from books.
Just now he was striding forward as rapidly as he could, as it was beginning to rain.
"Keep your eye on the hind sight boys, and don't lose it," he cried; "we must hurry or we shall be caught in a pocket to-night." Hour after hour they marched, the rain pouring down steadily, and the ground becoming every moment softer.

The walking wearied them terribly, but they pushed on in the hope that they might be able to cross the upper waters of the Nepalgah river before night.

This would place them on the west bank of that stream, where Sam believed that he should find the marching tolerable.