The Second Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling Chapter 15 Page 25

songs without words, and looking at the soles of his hard brown feet in case of neglected thorns. All his unhappiness seemed to have been left behind in his own Jungle, and he was just beginning a full-throat song when it came back again — ten times worse than before.

This time Mowgli was frightened. “It is here also!” he said half aloud. “It has followed me,” and he looked over his shoulder to see whether the It were not standing behind him. “There is no one here.” The night noises of the marsh went on, but never a bird or beast spoke to him, and the new feeling of misery grew.

“I have surely eaten poison,” he said in an awe-stricken voice. “It must be that carelessly I have eaten poison, and my strength is going from me. I was afraid —