Lukashka stretching out his neck watched it intently.

The tree floated to the shallows, stopped, and shifted in a peculiar manner.

Lukashka thought he saw an arm stretched out from beneath the tree.

'Supposing I killed an abrek all by myself!' he thought, and seized his gun with a swift, unhurried movement, putting up his gun-rest, placing the gun upon it, and holding it noiselessly in position.

Cocking the trigger, with bated breath he took aim, still peering out intently.