The　tall　peasant　looked　calmly　at　him　from　the　quiet　eyes　under　their　heavy　brows　and　as　calmly　answered：
  〃One　meets　a　different　folk　these　days　and　with　an　ax　it　is　much　safer。〃
  He　began　to　drink　tea　very　greedily；　while　his　eyes　looked　at　me　many　times　with　sharp　inquiry　in　them　and　ran　often　round　the　whole　cabin　in　search　of　the　answer　to　his　doubts。　　Very　slowly　and　with　a　guarded　drawl　he　answered　all　the　questions　of　the　soldiers　between　gulps　of　the　hot　tea；　then　he　turned　his　glass　upside　down　as　evidence　of　having　finished；　placed　on　the　top　of　it　the　small　lump　of　sugar　left　and　remarked　to　the　soldiers：
  〃I　am　going　out　to　look　after　my　horse　and　will　unsaddle　your　horses　for　you　also。〃
  〃All　right；〃　exclaimed　the　half…sleeping　young　soldier；　〃bring　in　our　rifles　as　well。〃
  The　soldiers　were　lying　on　the　benches　and　thus　left　for　us　only　the　floor。　　The　stranger　soon　came　back；　brought　the　rifles　and　set　them　in　the　dark　corner。　　He　dropped　the　saddle　pads　on　the　floor；　sat　down　on　them　and　began　to　take　off　his　boots。　　The　soldiers　and　my　guest　soon　were　snoring　but　I　did　not　sleep　for　thinking　of　what　next　to　do。　　Finally　as　dawn　was　breaking；　I　dozed　off　only　to　awake　in　the　broad　daylight　and　find　my　stranger　gone。　　I　went　outside　the　hut　and　discovered　him　saddling　a　fine　bay　stallion。
  〃Are　you　going　away？〃　I　asked。
  〃Yes；　but　I　want　to　go　together　with　these　　comrades；'〃　he　whispered；　〃and　afterwards　I　shall　come　back。〃
  I　did　not　ask　him　anything　further　and　told　him　only　that　I　would　wait　for　him。　　He　took　off　the　bags　that　had　been　hanging　on　his　saddle；　put　them　away　out　of　sight　in　the　burned　corner　of　the　cabin；　looked　over　the　stirrups　and　bridle　and；　as　he　finished　saddling；　smiled　and　said：
  〃I　am　ready。　　I'm　going　to　awake　my　'comrades。'〃　　Half　an　hour　after　the　morning　drink　of　tea；　my　three　guests　took　their　leave。　I　remained　out　of　doors　and　was　engaged　in　splitting　wood　for　my　stove。　　Suddenly；　from　a　distance；　rifle　shots　rang　through　the　woods；　first　one；　then　a　second。　　Afterwards　all　was　still。　　From　the　place　near　the　shots　a　frightened　covey　of　blackcock　broke　and　came　over　me。　　At　the　top　of　a　high　pine　a　jay　cried　out。　　I　listened　for　a　long　time　to　see　if　anyone　was　approaching　my　hut　but　everything　was　still。
  On　the　lower　Yenisei　it　grows　dark　very　early。　　I　built　a　fire　in　my　stove　and　began　to　cook　my　soup；　constantly　listening　for　every　noise　that　came　from　beyond　the　cabin　walls。　　Certainly　I　understood　at　all　times　very　clearly　that　death　was　ever　beside　me　and　might　claim　me　by　means　of　either　man；　beast；　cold；　accident　or　disease。　　I　knew　that　nobody　was　near　me　to　assist　and　that　all　my　help　was　in　the　hands　of　God；　in　the　power　of　my　hands　and　feet；　in　the　accuracy　of　my　aim　and　in　my　presence　of　mind。　　However；　I　listened　in　vain。　　I　did　not　notice　the　return　of　my　stranger。　Like　yesterday　he　appeared　all　at　once　on　the　threshold。　　Through　the　steam　I　made　out　his　laughing　eyes　and　his　fine　face。　　He　stepped　into　the　hut　and　dropped　with　a　good　deal　of　noise　three　rifles　into　the　corner。
  〃Two　horses；　two　rifles；　two　saddles；　two　boxes　of　dry　bread；　half　a　brick　of　tea；　a　small　bag　of　salt；　fifty　cartridges；　two　overcoats；　two　pairs　of　boots；〃　laughingly　he　counted　out。　　〃In　truth　today　I　had　a　very　successful　hunt。〃
  In　astonishment　I　looked　at　him。
  〃What　are　you　surprised　at？〃　he　laughed。　　〃Komu　nujny　eti　tovarischi？　　Who's　got　any　use　for　these　fellows？　　Let　us　have　tea　and　go　to　sleep。　　Tomorrow　I　will　guide　you　to　another　safer　place　and　then　go　on。〃
  CHAPTER　II
  THE　SECRET　OF　MY　FELLOW　TRAVELER
  At　the　dawn　of　day　we　started　forth；　leaving　my　first　place　of　refuge。　　Into　the　bags　we　packed　our　personal　estate　and　fastened　them　on　one　of　the　saddles。
  〃We　must　go　four　or　five　hundred　versts；〃　very　calmly　announced　my　fellow　traveler；　who　called　himself　〃Ivan；〃　a　name　that　meant　nothing　to　my　mind　or　heart　in　this　land　where　every　second　man　bore　the　same。
  〃We　shall　travel　then　for　a　very　long　time；〃　I　remarked　regretfully。
  〃Not　more　than　one　week；　perhaps　even　less；〃　he　answered。
  That　night　we　spent　in　the　woods　under　the　wide　spreading　branches　of　the　fir　trees。　　It　was　my　first　night　in　the　forest　under　the　open　sky。　　How　many　like　this　I　was　destined　to　spend　in　the　year　and　a　half　of　my　wanderings！　　During　the　day　there　was　very　sharp　cold。　　Under　the　hoofs　of　the　horses　the　frozen　snow　crunched　and　the　balls　that　formed　and　broke　from　their　hoofs　rolled　away　over　the　crust　with　a　sound　like　crackling　glass。　　The　heathcock　flew　from　the　trees　very　idly；　hares　loped　slowly　down　the　beds　of　summer　streams。　　At　night　the　wind　began　to　sigh　and　whistle　as　it　bent　the　tops　of　the　trees　over　our　heads；　while　below　it　was　still　and　calm。　　We　stopped　in　a　deep　ravine　bordered　by　heavy　trees；　where　we　found　fallen　firs；　cut　them　into　logs　for　the　fire　and；　after　having　boiled　our　tea；　dined。
  Ivan　dragged　in　two　tree　trunks；　squared　them　on　one　side　with　his　ax；　laid　one　on　the　other　with　the　squared　faces　together　and　then　drove　in　a　big　wedge　at　the　butt　ends　which　separated　them　three　or　four　inches。　　Then　we　placed　live　coals　in　this　opening　and　watched　the　fire　run　rapidly　the　whole　length　of　the　squared　faces　vis…a…　vis。
  〃Now　there　will　be　a　fire　in　the　morning；〃　he　announced。　　〃This　is　the　'naida'　of　the　gold　prospectors。　　We　prospectors　wandering　in　the　woods　summer　and　winter　always　sleep　beside　this　'naida。'　Fine！　　You　shall　see　for　yourself；〃　he　continued。
  He　cut　fir　branches　and　made　a　sloping　roof　out　of　them；　resting　it　on　two　uprights　toward　the　naida。　　Above　our　roof　of　boughs　and　our　naida　spread　the　branches　of　protecting　fir。　　More　branches　were　brought　and　spread　on　the　snow　under　the　roof；　on　these　were　placed　the　saddle　cloths　and　together　they　made　a　seat　for　Ivan　to　rest　on　and　to　take　off　his　outer　garments　down　to　his　blouse。　　Soon　I　noticed　his　forehead　was　wet　with　perspiration　and　that　he　was　wiping　it　and　his　neck　on　his　sleeves。
  〃Now　it　is　good　and　warm！〃　he　exclaimed。
  In　a　short　time　I　was　also　forced　to　take　off　my　overcoat　and　soon　lay　down　to　sleep　without　any　covering　at　all；　while　through　the　branches　of　the　fir　trees　and　our　roof　glimmered　the　cold　bright　stars　and　just　beyond　the　naida　raged　a　stinging　cold；　from　which　we　were　cosily　defended。　　After　this　night　I　was　no　longer　frightened　by　the　cold。　　Frozen　during　the　days　on　horseback；　I　was　thoroughly　warmed　through　by　the　genial　naida　at　night　and　rested　from　my　heavy　overcoat；　sitting　only　in　my　blouse　under　the　roofs　of　pine　and　fir　and　sipping　the　ever　welcome　tea。
  During　our　daily　treks　Ivan　related　to　me　the　stories　of　his　wanderings　through　the　mountains　and　woods　of　Transbaikalia　in　the　search　for　gold。　　These　stories　were　very　lively；　full　of　attractive　adventure；　danger　and　struggle。　　Ivan　was　a　type　of　these　prospectors　who　have　discovered　in　Russia；　and　perhaps　in　other　countries；　the　richest　gold　mines；　while　they　themselves　remain　beggars。　　He　evaded　telling　me　why　he　left　Transbaikalia　to　come　to　the　Yenisei。　　I　understood　from　his　manner　that　he　wished　to　keep　his　own　counsel　and　so　did　not　press　him。　　However；　the　blanket　of　secrecy　covering　this　part　of　his　mysterious　life　was　one　day　quite　fortuitously　lifted　a　bit。　　We　were　already　at　the　objective　point　of　our　trip。　　The　whole　day　we　had　traveled　with　difficulty　through　a　thick　growth　of　willow；　approaching　the　shore　of　the　big　right　branch　of　the　Yenisei；　the　Mana。　　Everywhere　we　saw　runways　packed　hard　by　the　feet　of　the　hares　living　in　this　bush。　　These　small　white　denizens　of　the　wood　ran　to　and　fro　in　front　of　us。　　Another　time　we　saw　the　red　tail　of　a　fox　hiding　behind　a　rock；　watching　us　and　the　unsuspecting　hares　at　the　same　time。
  Ivan　had　been　silent　for　a　long　while。　　Then　he　spoke　up　and　told　me　that　not　far　from　there　was　a　small　branch　of　the　Mana；　at　the　mouth　of　which　was　a　hut。
  〃What　do　you　say？　　Shall　we　push　on　there　or　spend　the　night　by　the　naida？〃
  I　suggested　going　to　the　hut；　because　I　wanted　to　wash　and　because　it　would　be　agreeable　to　spend　the　night　under　a　genuine　roof　again。　　Ivan　knitted　his　brows　but　acceded。
  It　was　growing　dark　when　we　approached　a　hut　surrounded　by　the　dense　wood　and　wild　raspberry　bushes。　　It　contained　one　small　room　with　two　microscopic　windows　and　a　gigantic　Russian　stove。　　Against　the　building　were　the　remains　of　a　shed　and　a　cellar。　　We　fired　the　stove　and　prepared　our　modest　dinner。　　Ivan　drank　from　the　bottle　inherited　from　the　soldiers　and　in　a　short　time　was　very　eloquent；　with　brilliant　eyes　and　with　hands　that　coursed　frequently　and　rapidly　through　his　long　locks。　　He　began　relating　to　me　the　story　of　one　of　his　adventures；　but　suddenly　stopped　and；　with　fear　in　his　eyes；　squinted　into　a　dark　corner。
  〃Is　it　a　rat？〃　he　asked。
  〃I　did　not　see　anything；〃　I　replied。
  He　again　became　silent　and　reflected　with　knitted　brow。　　Often　we　were　silent　through　long　hours　and　consequently　I　was　not　astonished。　　Ivan　leaned　over　near　to　me　and　began　to　whisper。
  〃I　want　to　tell　you　an　old　story。　　I　had　a　friend　in　Transbaikalia。　He　was　a　banished　convict。　　His　name　was　Gavronsky。　　Through　man