He made no attempt to look for the speaker , and that showed Kim that he knew . ` The pedigree of the white stallion is fully established . ' ` What proof is there ? ' The Englishman switched at the rose-hedge in the side of the drive . ` Mahbub Ali has given me this proof . ' Kim flipped the wad of folded paper into the air , and it fell in the path beside the man , who put his foot on it as a gardener came round the corner . When the servant passed he picked it up , dropped a rupee -- Kim could hear the clink -- and strode into the house , never turning round . Swiftly Kim took up the money ; but for all his training , he was Irish enough by birth to reckon silver the least part of any game . What he desired was the visible effect of action ; so , instead of slinking away , he lay close in the grass and wormed nearer to the house . He saw -- Indian bungalows are open through and through -- the Englishman return to a small dressing-room , in a comer of the veranda , that was half office , littered with papers and despatch-boxes , and sit down to study Mahbub Ali 's message . His face , by the full ray of the kerosene lamp , changed and darkened , and Kim , used as every beggar must be to watching countenances , took good note . ` Will ! Will , dear ! ' called a woman 's voice . ` You ought to be in the drawing-room . They 'll be here in a minute . ' The man still read intently . ` Will ! ' said the voice , five minutes later . ` He 's come .
I can XXXXX the troopers in the drive . '
called fell flipped hear made put saw showed switched took