Still more important than Wordsworth , or the eminent authors , Burke and Hare , was the art and science of mensuration . A boy who had passed his examination in these branches -- for which , by the way , there were no cram-books -- could , by merely marching over a country with a compass and a level and a straight eye , carry away a picture of that country which might be sold for large sums in coined silver . But as it was occasionally inexpedient to carry about measuring-chains a boy would do well to know the precise length of his own foot-pace , so that when he was deprived of what Hurree Chunder called adventitious aids ' he might still tread his distances . To keep count of thousands of paces , Hurree Chunder 's experience had shown him nothing more valuable than a rosary of eighty-one or a hundred and eight beads , for ` it was divisible and sub-divisible into many multiples and sub-multiples ' . Through the volleying drifts of English , Kim caught the general trend of the talk , and it interested him very much . Here was a new craft that a man could tuck away in his head and by the look of the large wide world unfolding itself before him , it seemed that the more a man knew the better for him . Said the Babu when he had talked for an hour and a half ' I hope some day to enjoy your offeecial acquaintance . Ad interim , if I may be pardoned that expression , I shall give you this betel-box , which is highly valuable article and cost me two rupees only four years ago . ' It was a cheap , heart-shaped brass thing with three compartments for carrying the eternal betel-nut , lime and pan-leaf ; but it was filled with little tabloid-bottles . ` That is reward of merit for your performance in character of that holy man . You see , you are so young you think you will last for ever and not take care of your body . It is great nuisance to go sick in the middle of business . I am fond of drugs myself , and they are handy to cure poor people too . These are good Departmental drugs -- quinine and so on . I give it you for souvenir . Now good-bye . I have urgent private business here by the roadside . ' He slipped out noiselessly as a cat , on the Umballa road , hailed a passing cart and jingled away , while Kim , tongue-tied , twiddled the brass betel-box in his hands . The record of a boy 's education interests few save his parents , and , as you know , Kim was an orphan . It is written in the books of St Xavier 's in Partibus that a report of Kim 's progress was forwarded at the end of each term to Colonel Creighton and to Father Victor , from whose hands duly came the money for his schooling .
It is further recorded in the same books that he showed a great aptitude for mathematical studies as well as map-making , and carried away a prize -LRB- The Life of Lord Lawrence , tree-calf , two vols. , nine rupees , eight annas -RRB- for proficiency therein ; and the same term played in St XXXXX 's eleven against the Alighur Mohammedan College , his age being fourteen years and ten months .
Babu Burke Umballa Victor Xavier betel-box drugs hour multiples sub-multiples