We are just off, but there are not enough of us yet.' And the Cossacks continued to shout, more and more of them joining as they rode down the street.

It occurred to Olenin that it would not look well for him to stay behind; besides he thought he could soon come back.

He dressed, loaded his gun with bullets, jumped onto his horse which Vanyusha had saddled more or less well, and overtook the Cossacks at the village gates.

The Cossacks had dismounted, and filling a wooden bowl with chikhir from a little cask which they had brought with them, they passed the bowl round to one another and drank to the success of their expedition.

Among them was a smartly dressed young cornet, who happened to be in the village and who took command of the group of nine Cossacks who had joined for the expedition.