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　　Zh&iacute；lincreptintothehole，wideneditsothatKost&iacute；linmightalsogetthrough，andthentheybothsatwaitingtillallshouldbequietintheAoul。

　　Assoonasallwasquiet，Zh&iacute；lincreptunderthewall，gotout，andwhisperedtoKost&iacute；lin，’Come！’Kost&iacute；lincreptout，butinsodoinghecaughtastonewithhisfootandmadeanoise。Themasterhadaveryviciouswatch-dog，aspottedonecalledOulyashin。Zh&iacute；linhadbeencarefultofeedhimforsometimebefore。Oulyashinheardthenoiseandbegantobarkandjump，andtheotherdogsdidthesame。Zh&iacute；lingaveaslightwhistle，andthrewhimabitofcheese。OulyashinknewZh&iacute；lin，waggedhistail，andstoppedbarking。

　　Butthemasterhadheardthedog，andshoutedtohimfromhishut，’Hayt，hayt，Oulyashin！’

　　Zh&iacute；lin，however，scratchedOulyashinbehindtheears，andthedogwasquiet，andrubbedagainsthislegs，wagginghistailTheysathiddenbehindacornerforawhile。Allbecamesilentagain，onlyasheepcoughedinsideashed，andthewaterrippledoverthestonesinthehollow。Itwasdark，thestarswerehighoverhead，andthenewmoonshowedredasitset，hornsupward，behindthehill。Inthevalleysthefogwaswhiteasmilk。

　　Zh&iacute；linroseandsaidtohiscompanion，’Well，friend，comealong！’

　　Theystarted；buttheyhadonlygoneafewstepswhentheyheardtheMullahcryingfromtheroof，’Allah，Beshmillah！

　　Ilrahman！’ThatmeantthatthepeoplewouldbegoingtotheMosque。

　　Sotheysatdownagain，hidingbehindawall，andwaitedalongtimetillthepeoplehadpassed。Atlastallwasquietagain。

　　’Nowthen！MayGodbewithus！’Theycrossedthemselves，andstartedoncemore。Theypassedthroughayardandwentdownthehillsidetotheriver，crossedtheriver，andwentalongthevalley。

　　Themistwasthick，butonlyneartheground；overheadthestarsshonequitebrightly。Zh&iacute；lindirectedtheircoursebythestars。Itwascoolinthemist，andeasywalking，onlytheirbootswereuncomfortable，beingwornoutandtroddendown。Zh&iacute；lintookhisoff，threwthemaway，andwentbarefoot，jumpingfromstonetostone，andguidinghiscoursebythestars。Kost&iacute；linbegantolagbehind。

　　’Walkslower，’hesaid，’theseconfoundedbootshavequiteblisteredmyfeet。’

　　’Takethemoff！’saidZh&iacute；lin。’Itwillbeeasierwalkingwithoutthem。’

　　Kost&iacute；linwentbarefoot，butgotonstillworse。Thestonescuthisfeetandhekeptlaggingbehind。Zh&iacute；linsaid:’Ifyourfeetgetcut，they’llhealagain；butiftheTartarscatchusandkillus，itwillbeworse！’

　　Kost&iacute；lindidnotreply，butwenton，groaningallthetime。

　　Theirwaylaythroughthevalleyforalongtime。Then，totheright，theyhearddogsbarking。Zh&iacute；linstopped，lookedabout，andbeganclimbingthehillfeelingwithhishands。

　　’Ah！’saidhe，’wehavegonewrong，andhavecometoofartotheright。

　　HereisanotherAoul，oneIsawfromthehill。Wemustturnbackandgoupthathilltotheleft。Theremustbeawoodthere。’

　　ButKost&iacute；linsaid:’Waitaminute！Letmegetbreath。Myfeetareallcutandbleeding。’

　　’Nevermind，friend！They’llhealagain。Youshouldspringmorelightly。

　　Likethis！’

　　AndZh&iacute；linranbackandturnedtotheleftupthehilltowardsthewood。

　　Kost&iacute；linstilllaggedbehind，andgroaned。Zh&iacute；linonlysaid’Hush！’andwentonandon。

　　TheywentupthehillandfoundawoodasZh&iacute；linhadsaid。Theyenteredthewoodandforcedtheirwaythroughthebrambles，whichtoretheirclothes。Atlasttheycametoapathandfollowedit。

　　’Stop！’Theyheardthetrampofhoofsonthepath，andwaited，listening。

　　Itsoundedlikethetrampingofahorse’sfeet，butthenceased。Theymovedon，andagaintheyheardthetramping。Whentheypaused，italsostopped。Zh&iacute；lincreptnearertoit，andsawsomethingstandingonthepathwhereitwasnotquitesodark。

　　Itlookedlikeahorse，andyetnotquitelikeone，andonitwassomethingqueer，notlikeaman。Hehearditsnorting。’Whatcanitbe？’Zh&iacute；lingavealowwhistle，andoffitdashedfromthepathintothethicket，andthewoodswerefilledwiththenoiseofcrackling，asifahurricaneweresweepingthrough，breakingthebranches。

　　Kost&iacute；linwassofrightenedthathesanktotheground。ButZh&iacute；linlaughedandsaid:’It’sastag。Don’tyouhearhimbreakingthebrancheswithhisantlers？Wewereafraidofhim，andheisafraidofus。’

　　Theywenton。TheGreatBearwasalreadysetting。Itwasnearmorning，andtheydidnotknowwhethertheyweregoingtherightwayornot。Zh&iacute；linthoughtitwasthewayhehadbeenbroughtbytheTartars，andthattheywerestillsomesevenmilesfromtheRussianfort；buthehadnothingcertaintogoby，andatnightoneeasilymistakestheway。Afteratimetheycametoaclearing。Kost&iacute；linsatdownandsaid:’Doasyoulike，Icangonofarther！Myfeetwon’tcarryme。’

　　Zh&iacute；lintriedtopersuadehim。

　　’NoIshallnevergetthere，Ican’t！’

　　Zh&iacute；lingrewangry，andspokeroughlytohim。

　　’Well，then，Ishallgoonalone。Good-bye！’

　　Kost&iacute；linjumpedupandfollowed。Theywentanotherthreemiles。

　　Themistinthewoodhadsettleddownstillmoredensely；

　　theycouldnotseeayardbeforethem，andthestarshadgrowndim。

　　Suddenlytheyheardthesoundofahorse’shoofsinfrontofthem。Theyhearditsshoesstrikethestones。Zh&iacute；linlaydownflat，andlistenedwithhiseartotheground。

　　’Yes，soitis！Ahorsemaniscomingtowardsus。’

　　Theyranoffthepath，crouchedamongthebushesandwaited。Zh&iacute；lincrepttotheroad，looked，andsawaTartaronhorsebackdrivingacowandhummingtohimself。TheTartarrodepast。Zh&iacute；linreturnedtoKost&iacute；lin。

　　’Godhasledhimpastus；getupandlet’sgoon！’

　　Kost&iacute；lintriedtorise，butfellbackagain。

　　’Ican’t；onmywordIcan’t！Ihavenostrengthleft。’

　　Hewasheavyandstout，andhadbeenperspiringfreely。Chilledbythemist，andwithhisfeetallbleeding，hehadgrownquitelimp。

　　Zh&iacute；lintriedtolifthim，whensuddenlyKost&iacute；linscreamedout:’Oh，howithurts！’

　　Zh&iacute；lin’sheartsank。

　　’Whatareyoushoutingfor？TheTartarisstillnear；he’llhaveheardyou！’Andhethoughttohimself，’Heisreallyquitedoneup。

　　WhatamItodowithhim？Itwon’tdotodesertacomrade。’

　　’Well，then，getup，andclimbuponmyback。I’llcarryyouifyoureallycan’twalk。’

　　HehelpedKost&iacute；linup，andputhisarmsunderhisthighs。Thenhewentoutontothepath，carryinghim。

　　’Only，fortheloveofheaven，’saidZh&iacute；lin，’don’tthrottlemewithyourhands！Holdontomyshoulders。’

　　Zh&iacute；linfoundhisloadheavy；hisfeet，too，werebleeding，andhewastiredout。NowandthenhestoopedtobalanceKost&iacute；linbetter，jerkinghimupsothatheshouldsithigher，andthenwentonagain。

　　TheTartarmust，however，reallyhaveheardKost&iacute；linscream。

　　Zh&iacute；linsuddenlyheardsomeonegallopingbehindandshoutingintheTartartongue。Hedartedinamongthebushes。TheTartarseizedhisgunandfired，butdidnothitthem，shoutedinhisownlanguage，andgallopedoffalongtheroad。

　　’Well，nowwearelost，friend！’saidZh&iacute；lin。’ThatdogwillgathertheTartarstogethertohuntusdown。Unlesswecangetacoupleofmilesawayfromherewearelost！’Andhethoughttohimself，’WhythedevildidIsaddlemyselfwiththisblock？I

　　shouldhavegotawaylongagohadIbeenalone。’

　　’Goonalone，’saidKost&iacute；lin。’Whyshouldyouperishbecauseofme？’

　　’NoIwon’tgo。Itwon’tdotodesertacomrade。’

　　AgainhetookKost&iacute；linonhisshouldersandstaggeredon。Theywentoninthatwayforanotherhalf-mileormore。Theywerestillintheforest，andcouldnotseetheendofit。Butthemistwasalreadydispersing，andcloudsseemedtobegathering，thestarswerenolongertobeseen。Zh&iacute；linwasquitedoneup。Theycametoaspringwalledinwithstonesbythesideofthepath。

　　Zh&iacute；linstoppedandsetKost&iacute；lindown。

　　’Letmehavearestandadrink，’saidhe，’andletuseatsomeofthecheese。Itcan’tbemuchfarthernow。’

　　Buthardlyhadhelaindowntogetadrink，whenheheardthesoundofhorses’feetbehindhim。Againtheydartedtotherightamongthebushes，andlaydownunderasteepslope。