Slowly and impressively the lama began.

At the end of ten minutes the old soldier slid from his pony, to hear better as he said, and sat with the reins round his wrist.

The lama's voice faltered, the periods lengthened.
Kim was busy watching a grey squirrel.

When the little scolding bunch of fur, close pressed to the branch, disappeared, preacher and audience were fast asleep, the old officer's strong-cut head pillowed on his arm, the lama's thrown back against the tree-bole, where it showed like yellow ivory.

A naked child toddled up, stared, and, moved by some quick impulse of reverence, made a solemn little obeisance before the lama--only the child was so short and fat that it toppled over sideways, and Kim laughed at the sprawling, chubby legs.