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Richard, Of the six editions that I have looked at (as yesterday plus The Wordsworth Poetry Library 'Complete Verse' , 1994), all but one use "bricky-dry" to rhyme with "Harry By!" on the previous line. The exception is the 'One Volume Kipling Authorised' of Doubleday, Doran of 1928 which uses "brick-dry". Nevertheless, I agree with you that it is probably a typo. "front-files" appears in Methuen 1896, Methuen 1915, H M Caldwell 1911 and Doubleday, Doran 1928. "front-ranks" is used in the 1926 Hodder & Stoughton Inclusive Edition, and the Wordsworth Poetry Library 'Complete Verse' , 1994. My view is that "front-ranks" is easier to say aloud than "front-files" (as sith slippy versus slippery). With best regards David Page Harrow UK __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Everything you'll ever need on one web page from News and Sport to Email and Music Charts http://uk.my.yahoo.com