Zhí；lincreptintothehole，wideneditsothatKostí；linmightalsogetthrough，andthentheybothsatwaitingtillallshouldbequietintheAoul。
　　Assoonasallwasquiet，Zhí；lincreptunderthewall，gotout，andwhisperedtoKostí；lin，’Come！’Kostí；lincreptout，butinsodoinghecaughtastonewithhisfootandmadeanoise。Themasterhadaveryviciouswatch-dog，aspottedonecalledOulyashin。Zhí；linhadbeencarefultofeedhimforsometimebefore。Oulyashinheardthenoiseandbegantobarkandjump，andtheotherdogsdidthesame。Zhí；lingaveaslightwhistle，andthrewhimabitofcheese。OulyashinknewZhí；lin，waggedhistail，andstoppedbarking。
　　Butthemasterhadheardthedog，andshoutedtohimfromhishut，’Hayt，hayt，Oulyashin！’
　　Zhí；lin，however，scratchedOulyashinbehindtheears，andthedogwasquiet，andrubbedagainsthislegs，wagginghistailTheysathiddenbehindacornerforawhile。Allbecamesilentagain，onlyasheepcoughedinsideashed，andthewaterrippledoverthestonesinthehollow。Itwasdark，thestarswerehighoverhead，andthenewmoonshowedredasitset，hornsupward，behindthehill。Inthevalleysthefogwaswhiteasmilk。
　　Zhí；linroseandsaidtohiscompanion，’Well，friend，comealong！’
　　Theystarted；buttheyhadonlygoneafewstepswhentheyheardtheMullahcryingfromtheroof，’Allah，Beshmillah！
　　Ilrahman！’ThatmeantthatthepeoplewouldbegoingtotheMosque。
　　Sotheysatdownagain，hidingbehindawall，andwaitedalongtimetillthepeoplehadpassed。Atlastallwasquietagain。
　　’Nowthen！MayGodbewithus！’Theycrossedthemselves，andstartedoncemore。Theypassedthroughayardandwentdownthehillsidetotheriver，crossedtheriver，andwentalongthevalley。
　　Themistwasthick，butonlyneartheground；overheadthestarsshonequitebrightly。Zhí；lindirectedtheircoursebythestars。Itwascoolinthemist，andeasywalking，onlytheirbootswereuncomfortable，beingwornoutandtroddendown。Zhí；lintookhisoff，threwthemaway，andwentbarefoot，jumpingfromstonetostone，andguidinghiscoursebythestars。Kostí；linbegantolagbehind。
　　’Walkslower，’hesaid，’theseconfoundedbootshavequiteblisteredmyfeet。’
　　’Takethemoff！’saidZhí；lin。’Itwillbeeasierwalkingwithoutthem。’
　　Kostí；linwentbarefoot，butgotonstillworse。Thestonescuthisfeetandhekeptlaggingbehind。Zhí；linsaid:’Ifyourfeetgetcut，they’llhealagain；butiftheTartarscatchusandkillus，itwillbeworse！’
　　Kostí；lindidnotreply，butwenton，groaningallthetime。
　　Theirwaylaythroughthevalleyforalongtime。Then，totheright，theyhearddogsbarking。Zhí；linstopped，lookedabout，andbeganclimbingthehillfeelingwithhishands。
　　’Ah！’saidhe，’wehavegonewrong，andhavecometoofartotheright。
　　HereisanotherAoul，oneIsawfromthehill。Wemustturnbackandgoupthathilltotheleft。Theremustbeawoodthere。’
　　ButKostí；linsaid:’Waitaminute！Letmegetbreath。Myfeetareallcutandbleeding。’
　　’Nevermind，friend！They’llhealagain。Youshouldspringmorelightly。
　　Likethis！’
　　AndZhí；linranbackandturnedtotheleftupthehilltowardsthewood。
　　Kostí；linstilllaggedbehind，andgroaned。Zhí；linonlysaid’Hush！’andwentonandon。
　　TheywentupthehillandfoundawoodasZhí；linhadsaid。Theyenteredthewoodandforcedtheirwaythroughthebrambles，whichtoretheirclothes。Atlasttheycametoapathandfollowedit。
　　’Stop！’Theyheardthetrampofhoofsonthepath，andwaited，listening。
　　Itsoundedlikethetrampingofahorse’sfeet，butthenceased。Theymovedon，andagaintheyheardthetramping。Whentheypaused，italsostopped。Zhí；lincreptnearertoit，andsawsomethingstandingonthepathwhereitwasnotquitesodark。
　　Itlookedlikeahorse，andyetnotquitelikeone，andonitwassomethingqueer，notlikeaman。Hehearditsnorting。’Whatcanitbe？’Zhí；lingavealowwhistle，andoffitdashedfromthepathintothethicket，andthewoodswerefilledwiththenoiseofcrackling，asifahurricaneweresweepingthrough，breakingthebranches。
　　Kostí；linwassofrightenedthathesanktotheground。ButZhí；linlaughedandsaid:’It’sastag。Don’tyouhearhimbreakingthebrancheswithhisantlers？Wewereafraidofhim，andheisafraidofus。’
　　Theywenton。TheGreatBearwasalreadysetting。Itwasnearmorning，andtheydidnotknowwhethertheyweregoingtherightwayornot。Zhí；linthoughtitwasthewayhehadbeenbroughtbytheTartars，andthattheywerestillsomesevenmilesfromtheRussianfort；buthehadnothingcertaintogoby，andatnightoneeasilymistakestheway。Afteratimetheycametoaclearing。Kostí；linsatdownandsaid:’Doasyoulike，Icangonofarther！Myfeetwon’tcarryme。’
　　Zhí；lintriedtopersuadehim。
　　’NoIshallnevergetthere，Ican’t！’
　　Zhí；lingrewangry，andspokeroughlytohim。
　　’Well，then，Ishallgoonalone。Good-bye！’
　　Kostí；linjumpedupandfollowed。Theywentanotherthreemiles。
　　Themistinthewoodhadsettleddownstillmoredensely；
　　theycouldnotseeayardbeforethem，andthestarshadgrowndim。
　　Suddenlytheyheardthesoundofahorse’shoofsinfrontofthem。Theyhearditsshoesstrikethestones。Zhí；linlaydownflat，andlistenedwithhiseartotheground。
　　’Yes，soitis！Ahorsemaniscomingtowardsus。’
　　Theyranoffthepath，crouchedamongthebushesandwaited。Zhí；lincrepttotheroad，looked，andsawaTartaronhorsebackdrivingacowandhummingtohimself。TheTartarrodepast。Zhí；linreturnedtoKostí；lin。
　　’Godhasledhimpastus；getupandlet’sgoon！’
　　Kostí；lintriedtorise，butfellbackagain。
　　’Ican’t；onmywordIcan’t！Ihavenostrengthleft。’
　　Hewasheavyandstout，andhadbeenperspiringfreely。Chilledbythemist，andwithhisfeetallbleeding，hehadgrownquitelimp。
　　Zhí；lintriedtolifthim，whensuddenlyKostí；linscreamedout:’Oh，howithurts！’
　　Zhí；lin’sheartsank。
　　’Whatareyoushoutingfor？TheTartarisstillnear；he’llhaveheardyou！’Andhethoughttohimself，’Heisreallyquitedoneup。
　　WhatamItodowithhim？Itwon’tdotodesertacomrade。’
　　’Well，then，getup，andclimbuponmyback。I’llcarryyouifyoureallycan’twalk。’
　　HehelpedKostí；linup，andputhisarmsunderhisthighs。Thenhewentoutontothepath，carryinghim。
　　’Only，fortheloveofheaven，’saidZhí；lin，’don’tthrottlemewithyourhands！Holdontomyshoulders。’
　　Zhí；linfoundhisloadheavy；hisfeet，too，werebleeding，andhewastiredout。NowandthenhestoopedtobalanceKostí；linbetter，jerkinghimupsothatheshouldsithigher，andthenwentonagain。
　　TheTartarmust，however，reallyhaveheardKostí；linscream。
　　Zhí；linsuddenlyheardsomeonegallopingbehindandshoutingintheTartartongue。Hedartedinamongthebushes。TheTartarseizedhisgunandfired，butdidnothitthem，shoutedinhisownlanguage，andgallopedoffalongtheroad。
　　’Well，nowwearelost，friend！’saidZhí；lin。’ThatdogwillgathertheTartarstogethertohuntusdown。Unlesswecangetacoupleofmilesawayfromherewearelost！’Andhethoughttohimself，’WhythedevildidIsaddlemyselfwiththisblock？I
　　shouldhavegotawaylongagohadIbeenalone。’
　　’Goonalone，’saidKostí；lin。’Whyshouldyouperishbecauseofme？’
　　’NoIwon’tgo。Itwon’tdotodesertacomrade。’
　　AgainhetookKostí；linonhisshouldersandstaggeredon。Theywentoninthatwayforanotherhalf-mileormore。Theywerestillintheforest，andcouldnotseetheendofit。Butthemistwasalreadydispersing，andcloudsseemedtobegathering，thestarswerenolongertobeseen。Zhí；linwasquitedoneup。Theycametoaspringwalledinwithstonesbythesideofthepath。
　　Zhí；linstoppedandsetKostí；lindown。
　　’Letmehavearestandadrink，’saidhe，’andletuseatsomeofthecheese。Itcan’tbemuchfarthernow。’
　　Buthardlyhadhelaindowntogetadrink，whenheheardthesoundofhorses’feetbehindhim。Againtheydartedtotherightamongthebushes，andlaydownunderasteepslope。