I will keep tally . ' The child dried his tears at once , and dashed to the back of the shop , whence he returned with a copper tray . ` Give me ! ' he said to Lurgan Sahib . ` Let them come from thy hand , for he may say that I knew them before . ' ` Gently -- gently , ' the man replied , and from a drawer under the table dealt a half-handful of clattering trifles into the tray . ` Now , ' said the child , waving an old newspaper . ` Look on them as long as thou wilt , stranger . Count and , if need be , handle . One look is enough for me . ' He turned his back proudly . ` But what is the game ? ' ` When thou hast counted and handled and art sure that thou canst remember them all , I cover them with this paper , and thou must tell over the tally to Lurgan Sahib . I will write mine . ' ` Oah ! ' The instinct of competition waked in his breast . He bent over the tray . There were but fifteen stones on it . ` That is easy , ' he said after a minute . The child slipped the paper over the winking jewels and scribbled in a native account-book .
` There are under that paper five blue stones -- one big , one smaller , and three small , ' XXXXX Kim , all in haste .
Let come dashed dealt handle knew said scribbled slipped waked