— yea, though there were all the dholes of the Dekkan on his trail.

What is in thy stomach?” Kaa’s head was close to Mowgli’s ear; and it was a little time before the boy answered.

“It is to pull the very whiskers of Death, but — Kaa, thou art, indeed, the wisest of all the Jungle.”

“So many have said. Look now, if the dhole follow thee — — ”

“As surely they will follow. Ho! ho! I have many little thorns under my tongue to prick into their hides.”

“If they follow thee hot and blind, looking only at thy shoulders, those who do not die up above will take water either here or lower down, for the Little