“Oh, that is he!“ muttered Anton, and inquired further: “And the boy?“
“Oh, father ataman,“ said the ferryman, “an angel, out and out! We have never seen such a boy.“
In the mean while they were coming to the shore.
“Ah, we will bring her to the ataman!“ muttered Anton to himself. Then he turned to the Cossacks: “To horse!“
They shot on like a flock of frightened bustards, though the road was difficult, for the country was broken into gorges. But they entered a broad ravine at the bottom of which was a kind of natural path formed by the flowing of a spring. The ravine extended to Kavraiets. They rushed on some miles without halting; Anton, on the best horse, ahead. The broad mouth of the ravine was already visible when Anton suddenly pulled in his horse till his hind shoes crushed the
