-- a ball of crystal as big as a bean set on a gold leaf . ' He clapped his hands at the close . ` He is thy master , ' said Lurgan Sahib , smiling . ` Huh ! He knew the names of the stones , ' said Kim , flushing . ` Try again ! With common things such as he and I both know . ' They heaped the tray again with odds and ends gathered from the shop , and even the kitchen , and every time the child won , till Kim marvelled . ` Bind my eyes -- let me feel once with my fingers , and even then I will leave thee opened-eyed behind , ' he challenged . Kim stamped with vexation when the lad made his boast good . ` If it were men -- or horses , ' he said , ' I could do better . This playing with tweezers and knives and scissors is too little . ' ` Learn first -- teach later , ' said Lurgan Sahib . ` Is he thy master ? ' ` Truly . But how is it done ? ' ` By doing it many times over till it is done perfectly -- for it is worth doing . ' The Hindu boy , in highest feather , actually patted Kim on the back . ` Do not despair , ' he said . ' I myself will teach thee . '
` And I will see that thou art well taught , ' said Lurgan XXXXX , still speaking in the vernacular , ` for except my boy here -- it was foolish of him to buy so much white arsenic when , if he had asked , I could have given it -- except my boy here I have not in a long time met with one better worth teaching .
Hindu Huh Kim Sahib close first scissors things tweezers vexation