While she was digging away, Malasha came up also, and began to help her by drawing the water down the ditch with a chip.

The peasant men had just come to blows, when the little girls had got the water along the ditch to the street, directly at the spot where the old woman was parting the men.
The little girls came running up, one on one side, the other on the other side of the rivulet.

"Hold on, Malasha, hold on!" cried Akulka.

Malasha also tried to say something, but could not speak for laughing.
The little girls ran thus, laughing at the chip, as it floated down the stream.

And they ran straight into the midst of the peasant men.