He explained to the company that he was assistant to a juggler who had left him behind sick with fever , and that he would pick up his master at Umballa . As the occupants of the carriage changed , he varied this tale , or adorned it with all the shoots of a budding fancy , the more rampant for being held off native speech so long . In all India that night was no human being so joyful as Kim . At Umballa he got out and headed eastward , plashing over the sodden fields to the village where the old soldier lived . About this time Colonel Creighton at Simla was advised from Lucknow by wire that young O'Hara had disappeared . Mahbub Ali was in town selling horses , and to him the Colonel confided the affair one morning cantering round Annandale racecourse . ` Oh , that is nothing , ' said the horse-dealer . ` Men are like horses . At certain times they need salt , and if that salt is not in the mangers they will lick it up from the earth . He has gone back to the Road again for a while . The madrissak wearied him . I knew it would . Another time , I will take him upon the Road myself . Do not be troubled , Creighton Sahib . It is as though a polo-pony , breaking loose , ran out to learn the game alone . ' ` Then he is not dead , think you ? ' ` Fever might kill him . I do not fear for the boy otherwise . A monkey does not fall among trees . ' Next morning , on the same course , Mahbub 's stallion ranged alongside the Colonel .
` It is as I had thought , ' said the XXXXX .
Kim O'Hara Road horse-dealer madrissak mangers night plashing polo-pony shoots