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"Having cast the skin," said Kaa, "we may not creep into it afresh. It is the Law." "Listen, dearest of all to me," said Baloo. There is neither word nor will here to hold thee back. Look up! Who may question the Master of the Jungle?
"We dare not wait for thee. Follow, Baloo. We must go on the quick-foot Kaa and I." "Feet or no feet, I can keep abreast of all thy four," said Kaa shortly. Baloo made one effort to hurry, but had to sit down panting, and so they left him to come on later, while Bagheera hurried forward, at the quick panther-canter.
It was then that Bagheera lifted up his dripping chin, and in despair gave the Snake's Call for protection "We be of one blood, ye and I" for he believed that Kaa had turned tail at the last minute. Even Baloo, half smothered under the monkeys on the edge of the terrace, could not help chuckling as he heard the Black Panther asking for help.
The face of the water was blanketed with wild bees, buzzing sullenly and stinging all they found. "Nothing was ever yet lost by silence," said Kaa no sting could penetrate his scales "and thou hast all the long night for the hunting. Hear them howl!"
"I will go to the west wall," Kaa whispered, "and come down swiftly with the slope of the ground in my favor. They will not throw themselves upon my back in their hundreds, but " "I know it," said Bagheera. "Would that Baloo were here, but we must do what we can. When that cloud covers the moon I shall go to the terrace. They hold some sort of council there over the boy."
"What need of talk?" said Baloo slowly, turning his head to where Mowgli lay. "Akela by the river said it, that Mowgli should drive Mowgli back to the Man-Pack. I said it. But who listens now to Baloo? Bagheera where is Bagheera this night? he knows also. It is the Law." "When we met at Cold Lairs, Manling, I knew it," said Kaa, turning a little in his mighty coils.
What is in thy stomach?" Kaa's head was close to Mowgli's ear; and it was a little time before the boy answered. "It is to pull the very whiskers of Death, but Kaa, thou art, indeed, the wisest of all the Jungle." "So many have said. Look now, if the dhole follow thee " "As surely they will follow. Ho! ho! I have many little thorns under my tongue to prick into their hides."
"Now this same Manling comes with soft, tickling words to this same Flathead, telling him that he is wise and strong and beautiful, and this same old Flathead believes and makes a place, thus, for this same stone-throwing Manling, and Art thou at ease now? Could Bagheera give thee so good a resting-place?" Kaa had, as usual, made a sort of soft half-hammock of himself under Mowgli's weight.
"No," he said, as he drew the blade; "I will never kill again save for food. But look you, Kaa!" He caught the snake behind the hood, forced the mouth open with the blade of the knife, and showed the terrible poison-fangs of the upper jaw lying black and withered in the gum. The White Cobra had outlived his poison, as a snake will. "The King's Treasure needs a new Warden," he said gravely.
"Who bade me bring the Man?" he hissed. "I surely," the old Cobra lisped. "It is long since I have seen Man, and this Man speaks our tongue." "But there was no talk of killing. How can I go to the Jungle and say that I have led him to his death?" said Kaa. "I talk not of killing till the time. And as to thy going or not going, there is the hole in the wall. Peace, now, thou fat monkey-killer!
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