They ringed the old man as a school of porpoises ring a steamer at full speed , and as they ringed him they talked unconcernedly , for their speech began below the lowest end of the scale that untrained human beings can hear . -LSB- The other end is bounded by the high squeak of Mang , the Bat , which very many people can not catch at all . From that note all the bird and bat and insect talk takes on . -RSB- `` This is better than any kill , '' said Gray Brother , as Buldeo stooped and peered and puffed . `` He looks like a lost pig in the Jungles by the river . What does he say ? '' Buldeo was muttering savagely . Mowgli translated . `` He says that packs of wolves must have danced round me . He says that he never saw such a trail in his life . He says he is tired . '' `` He will be rested before he picks it up again , '' said Bagheera coolly , as he slipped round a tree-trunk , in the game of blindman 's - buff that they were playing . `` NOW , what does the lean thing do ? '' `` Eat or blow smoke out of his mouth . Men always play with their mouths , '' said Mowgli ; and the silent trailers saw the old man fill and light and puff at a water-pipe , and they took good note of the smell of the tobacco , so as to be sure of Buldeo in the darkest night , if necessary . Then a little knot of charcoal-burners came down the path , and naturally halted to speak to Buldeo , whose fame as a hunter reached for at least twenty miles round . They all sat down and smoked , and Bagheera and the others came up and watched while Buldeo began to tell the story of Mowgli , the Devil-child , from one end to another , with additions and inventions . How he himself had really killed Shere Khan ; and how Mowgli had turned himself into a wolf , and fought with him all the afternoon , and changed into a boy again and bewitched Buldeo 's rifle , so that the bullet turned the corner , when he pointed it at Mowgli , and killed one of Buldeo 's own buffaloes ; and how the village , knowing him to be the bravest hunter in Seeonee , had sent him out to kill this Devil-child . But meantime the village had got hold of Messua and her husband , who were undoubtedly the father and mother of this Devil-child , and had barricaded them in their own hut , and presently would torture them to make them confess they were witch and wizard , and then they would be burned to death . `` When ? ''
said the XXXXX , because they would very much like to be present at the ceremony .
Brother Devil-child Khan Mowgli afternoon blindman charcoal-burners tobacco tree-trunk water-pipe