Foma felt more and more cheerful and relieved in proportion as the raft was floating away from him.
"Foma Ignatyevich!" said Ookhtishchev in a faint, but sober voice, "look out, this is a dangerous joke.

I'll make a complaint." "When you are drowned?
You may complain!" answered Foma, cheerfully.
"You are a murderer!" exclaimed Zvantzev, sobbing.

But at this time a ringing splash of water was heard as though it groaned with fright or with astonishment.

Foma shuddered and became as though petrified.
Then rang out the wild, deafening shrieks of the women, and the terror-stricken screams of men, and all the figures on the raft remained petrified in their places.

And Foma, staring at the water, felt as though he really were petrified.