In this rain, besides. . . It couldn't have rained before! Eh! You
vermin, there! Eh!"
"Is that you Selkache?" came softly from above.
"Lower the ladder, will you!"
"Good-day, Selkache."
"Lower the ladder, smoky devil!" roared Tchelkache.
"Oh! Isn't he ill-natured to-day. . . Eh! Oh!"
"Go up, Gavrilo!" commanded Tchelkache to his companion.
In a moment they were on the deck, where three dark and bearded
individuals were looking over the side at Tchelkache's boat and talking
animatedly in a strange and harsh language. A fourth, clad in a long
gown, advanced toward Tchelkache, shook his hand in silence and cast a
suspicious glance at Gavrilo.
"Get the money ready for to-morrow morning," briefly said Tchelkache.
"I'm going to sleep, now. Come Gavrilo. Are you hungry?"
"I'm sleepy," replied Gavrilo,
In five minutes, he was snoring on the dirty deck; Tchelkache sitting
beside him, was trying on an old boot that he found lying there. He
softly whistled, animated both by sorrow and anger. Then he lay down
beside Gavrilo, without removing the boot from his foot, and putting
his hands under the back of his neck he carefully examined the deck,
working his lips the while.
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