"Ay, surely, my son. Man, ghost, or wolf of the Jungle, I believe."
"He will be afraid when he hears my people singing. Thou wilt know and understand. Go now, and slowly, for there is no need of any haste. The gates are shut."
Messua flung herself sobbing at Mowgli's feet, but he lifted her very quickly with a shiver. Then she hung about his neck and called him every name of blessing she could think of, but her husband looked enviously across his fields, and said: "If we reach Kanhiwara, and I get the ear of the English, I will bring such a lawsuit against the Brahmin and old Buldeo and the others as shall eat the village to the bone. They shall pay me twice over for my crops untilled and my buffaloes unfed. I will have a great justice."
Mowgli laughed. "I do not know what justice is, but—come next Rains and see what is left."
They went off toward the Jungle, and Mother Wolf leaped from her place of hiding.
"Follow!" said Mowgli; "and look to it that all the Jungle knows these two are safe. Give tongue a little. I would call Bagheera."
The long, low howl rose and fell, and Mowgli saw Messua's husband flinch and turn, half minded to run back to the hut.
"Go on," Mowgli called cheerfully. "I said there might be singing. The call will follow up to Kanhiwara. It is Favor of the Jungle."
Messua urged her husband forward, and the darkness of the Jungle shut down on them and Mother Wolf as Bagheera rose up almost under Mowgli's feet, trembling with delight of the night that drives the Jungle People wild.
"I am ashamed of thy brethren," he said, purring.