Out of the forest, at long intervals, came a dull booming sound like the shutting of a heavy iron door.
The wagons drew up.

We had arrived at our destination.
"We shall be here," I heard Semyonov say, "some five hours or so.
You'd better sleep if you can." A group of soldiers round the wood fire were motionless, their faces glowing, their bodies dark.

Our wagons, drawn up together, resembled in the twilight strange beasts; the two Sisters lay down on one wagon, Semyonov, Andrey Vassilievitch, Trenchard and I on another.

My irritated mood had returned.

I had been the last to climb on to the straw and the others had so settled themselves that I had no room to lie flat.