` 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 hear the troopers in the drive . ' The man dashed out bareheaded as a big landau with four native troopers behind it halted at the veranda , and a tall , black haired man , erect as an arrow , swung out , preceded by a young officer who laughed pleasantly . Flat on his belly lay Kim , almost touching the high wheels . His man and the black stranger exchanged two sentences . ` Certainly , sir , ' said the young officer promptly . ` Everything waits while a horse is concerned . ' ` We sha n't be more than twenty minutes , ' said Kim 's man . ` You can do the honours -- keep 'em amused , and all that . ' ` Tell one of the troopers to wait , ' said the tall man , and they both passed into the dressing-room together as the landau rolled away . Kim saw their heads bent over Mahbub Ali 's message , and heard the voices -- one low and deferential , the other sharp and decisive . ` It is n't a question of weeks .
It is a question of days -- hours almost , ' XXXXX the elder .
Tell concerned exchanged passed preceded rolled said saw swung wait