soldiers sat near him talking in an undertone, listening sometimes to learn if in the night sounds of the pinewoods the tramp and snort of coming horses could reach them.
It was a moonlight night, and calm, but noisy. In the forest depths life was seething. It was the season of mating; therefore the wilderness thundered with terrible bellowing of stags. These sounds, short, hoarse, full of anger and rage, were heard round about in all parts of the forest, distant and near, — sometimes right there, as if a hundred yards from the cabin.
"If men come, they will bellow too, to mislead us," said Biloüs.
"Eh! they will not come to-night. Before the pitch-maker finds them 't will be day," said the other soldiers.
"In the daytime, Sergeant, it would be well to examine the cabin and dig under the walls; for if robbers dwell here there must be treasures."
"The best treasures are in that stable," said Soroka, pointing with his finger to the shed.
"But we'll take them?"
"Ye are fools! there is no way out, — nothing but swamps all around."
"But we came in."
"God guided us. A living soul cannot come here or leave here without knowing the road."
"We will find it in the daytime."
"We shall not find it, for tracks are made everywhere purposely, and the trails are misleading. It was not right to let the man go."
"It is known that the highroad is a day's journey distant, and in that direction," said Biloüs.
Here he pointed with his finger to the eastern part of the forest.
"We will ride on till we pass through, — that's what we'll do! You think that you will be a lord when you touch the highway? Better the bullet of a robber here than a rope there."
"How is that, father?" asked Biloüs.
"They are surely looking for us there."
"Who, father?"
"The prince."
Soroka was suddenly silent; and after him were silent the others, as if seized with fear.
