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woods； but a wolf who obeyed the orders of this boy who had
private wars with man…eating tigers was not a common animal。 It
was sorcery； magic of the worst kind； thought Buldeo； and he
wondered whether the amulet round his neck would protect him。 He
lay as still as still； expecting every minute to see Mowgli turn
into a tiger too。
〃Maharaj！ Great King；〃 he said at last in a husky whisper。
〃Yes；〃 said Mowgli； without turning his head； chuckling a
little。
〃I am an old man。 I did not know that thou wast anything more
than a herdsboy。 May I rise up and go away； or will thy servant
tear me to pieces？〃
〃Go； and peace go with thee。 Only； another time do not meddle
with my game。 Let him go； Akela。〃
Buldeo hobbled away to the village as fast as he could；
looking back over his shoulder in case Mowgli should change into
something terrible。 When he got to the village he told a tale of
magic and enchantment and sorcery that made the priest look very
grave。
Mowgli went on with his work； but it was nearly twilight
before he and the wolves had drawn the great gay skin clear of the
body。
〃Now we must hide this and take the buffaloes home！ Help me
to herd them； Akela。〃
The herd rounded up in the misty twilight； and when they got
near the village Mowgli saw lights； and heard the conches and
bells in the temple blowing and banging。 Half the village seemed
to be waiting for him by the gate。 〃That is because I have killed
Shere Khan；〃 he said to himself。 But a shower of stones whistled
about his ears； and the villagers shouted： 〃Sorcerer！ Wolf's
brat！ Jungle demon！ Go away！ Get hence quickly or the priest
will turn thee into a wolf again。 Shoot； Buldeo； shoot！〃
The old Tower musket went off with a bang； and a young buffalo
bellowed in pain。
〃More sorcery！〃 shouted the villagers。 〃He can turn bullets。
Buldeo； that was thy buffalo。〃
〃Now what is this？〃 said Mowgli； bewildered； as the stones
flew thicker。
〃They are not unlike the Pack； these brothers of thine；〃 said
Akela； sitting down composedly。 〃It is in my head that； if
bullets mean anything； they would cast thee out。〃
〃Wolf！ Wolf's cub！ Go away！〃 shouted the priest； waving a
sprig of the sacred tulsi plant。
〃Again？ Last time it was because I was a man。 This time it
is because I am a wolf。 Let us go； Akela。〃
A womanit was Messuaran across to the herd； and cried：
〃Oh； my son； my son！ They say thou art a sorcerer who can turn
himself into a beast at will。 I do not believe； but go away or
they will kill thee。 Buldeo says thou art a wizard； but I know
thou hast avenged Nathoo's death。〃
〃Come back； Messua！〃 shouted the crowd。 〃Come back； or we
will stone thee。〃
Mowgli laughed a little short ugly laugh； for a stone had hit
him in the mouth。 〃Run back； Messua。 This is one of the foolish
tales they tell under the big tree at dusk。 I have at least paid
for thy son's life。 Farewell； and run quickly； for I shall send
the herd in more swiftly than their brickbats。 I am no wizard；
Messua。 Farewell！〃
〃Now； once more； Akela；〃 he cried。 〃Bring the herd in。〃
The buffaloes were anxious enough to get to the village。 They
hardly needed Akela's yell； but charged through the gate like a
whirlwind； scattering the crowd right and left。
〃Keep count！〃 shouted Mowgli scornfully。 〃It may be that I
have stolen one of them。 Keep count； for I will do your herding
no more。 Fare you well； children of men； and thank Messua that I
do not come in with my wolves and hunt you up and down your
street。〃
He turned on his heel and walked away with the Lone Wolf； and
as he looked up at the stars he felt happy。 〃No more sleeping in
traps for me； Akela。 Let us get Shere Khan's skin and go away。
No； we will not hurt the village； for Messua was kind to me。〃
When the moon rose over the plain； making it look all milky；
the horrified villagers saw Mowgli； with two wolves at his heels
and a bundle on his head； trotting across at the steady wolf's
trot that eats up the long miles like fire。 Then they banged the
temple bells and blew the conches louder than ever。 And Messua
cried； and Buldeo embroidered the story of his adventures in the
jungle； till he ended by saying that Akela stood up on his hind
legs and talked like a man。
The moon was just going down when Mowgli and the two wolves
came to the hill of the Council Rock； and they stopped at Mother
Wolf's cave。
〃They have cast me out from the Man…Pack； Mother；〃 shouted
Mowgli； 〃but I come with the hide of Shere Khan to keep my word。〃
Mother Wolf walked stiffly from the cave with the cubs behind
her； and her eyes glowed as she saw the skin。
〃I told him on that day； when he crammed his head and
shoulders into this cave； hunting for thy life； Little FrogI
told him that the hunter would be the hunted。 It is well done。〃
〃Little Brother； it is well done；〃 said a deep voice in the
thicket。 〃We were lonely in the jungle without thee； and Bagheera
came running to Mowgli's bare feet。 They clambered up the Council
Rock together； and Mowgli spread the skin out on the flat stone
where Akela used to sit； and pegged it down with four slivers of
bamboo； and Akela lay down upon it； and called the old call to the
Council； 〃Looklook well； O Wolves；〃 exactly as he had called
when Mowgli was first brought there。
Ever since Akela had been deposed； the Pack had been without a
leader； hunting and fighting at their own pleasure。 But they
answered the call from habit； and some of them were lame from the
traps they had fallen into； and some limped from shot wounds； and
some were mangy from eating bad food； and many were missing。 But
they came to the Council Rock； all that were left of them； and saw
Shere Khan's striped hide on the rock； and the huge claws dangling
at the end of the empty dangling feet。 It was then that Mowgli
made up a song that came up into his throat all by itself； and he
shouted it aloud； leaping up and down on the rattling skin； and
beating time with his heels till he had no more breath left； while
Gray Brother and Akela howled between the verses。
〃Look well； O Wolves。 Have I kept my word？〃 said Mowgli。 And
the wolves bayed 〃Yes；〃 and one tattered wolf howled：
〃Lead us again； O Akela。 Lead us again； O Man…cub； for we be
sick of this lawlessness； and we would be the Free People once
more。〃
〃Nay；〃 purred Bagheera； 〃that may not be。 When ye are
full…fed； the madness may come upon you again。 Not for nothing
are ye called the Free People。 Ye fought for freedom； and it is
yours。 Eat it； O Wolves。〃
〃Man…Pack and Wolf…Pack have cast me out；〃 said Mowgli。 〃Now
I will hunt alone in the jungle。〃
〃And we will hunt with thee；〃 said the four cubs。
So Mowgli went away and hunted with the four cubs in the
jungle from that day on。 But he was not always alone； because；
y