Kim - a lucky guy

There is too much coincidence and fortune for Kim in chapter 9.

He stays with a sahib until it is time to return to school. Lurgan Sahib and his boy helper introduce Kim to a memory and analysis game: a board of jewels is covered and Kim and the boy have to recall what is underneath. They play with artifacts from Lurgan's shop: old knives, masks. They play with visitors to the shop. Later Lurgan asks: who were they? What did they want? Clearly the true goal is not how, but why?

At the end of his time with Lurgan Kim is introduced to a Babu (a native clerk in British Colonial India, that of Kipling). This is R17, the individual who's information started the war, and an excellent person for Kim to know.

These characters just appear. It seems clear that Colonel Chreighton wants Kim to stay with Lurgan, but that Lurgan asked for Kim specificaly. How does Lurgan know about Kim? Lurgan seems to know the Babu is R17 - Lurgan isn't part of the Indian Survey Department so how could he possible know this? Does Kim know this? Kipling tells us clearly. We have always known about Kim's disguises, but it dawns on me here that what we might have is the beginning of a spy. This is all very mysterious and coincidental, and I'm not entirely pleased with it.