Having glanced at the cordon he stopped.
'Hy, Lyam!' he called to the dog in such a ringing bass that it awoke an echo far away in the wood; and throwing over his shoulder his big gun, of the kind the Cossacks call a 'flint', he raised his cap.
'Had a good day, good people, eh ?' he said, addressing the Cossacks in the same strong and cheerful voice, quite without effort, but as loudly as if he were shouting to someone on the other bank of the river.
'Yes, yes.

Uncle!' answered from all sides the voices of the young Cossacks.
'What have you seen?
Tell us!' shouted Uncle Eroshka, wiping the sweat from his broad red face with the sleeve of his coat.
'Ah, there's a vulture living in the plane tree here, Uncle.

As soon as night comes he begins hovering round,' said Nazarka, winking and jerking his shoulder and leg.
'Come, come!' said the old man incredulously.
'Really, Uncle! You must keep watch,' replied Nazarka with a laugh.
The other Cossacks began laughing.
The wag had not seen any vulture at all, but it had long been the custom of the young Cossacks in the cordon to tease and mislead Uncle Eroshka every time he came to them.
'Eh, you fool, always lying!' exclaimed Lukashka from the tower to Nazarka.
Nazarka was immediately silenced.
'It must be watched.

I'll watch,' answered the old man to the great delight of all the Cossacks.

'But have you seen any boars ?' 'Watching for boars, are you ?' said the corporal, bending forward and scratching his back with both hands, very pleased at the chance of some distraction.