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。
