"We must decoy some one hither, and bind him; we shall then have a guide and a hostage."
"Pshaw!" answered Kmita, "if any one comes it will be on parole."
"With robbers parole may be broken."
"It is better not to give it!" said Kmita.
With that questions sounded again from the thicket.
"What do you want?" Now Kmita began to speak. "We should have gone as we came if you had known politeness and not fired from a gun."
"You will not stay there, — there will be a hundred horse of us in the evening."
"Before evening two hundred dragoons will come, and your swamps will not save you, for they will pass as we passed."
"Are you soldiers?"
"We are not robbers, you may be sure."
"From what squadron?"
"But are you hetman? We will not report to you."
"The wolves will devour you, in old fashion."
"And the crows will pick you!"
"Tell what you want, a hundred devils! Why did you come to our cabin?"
"Come yourselves, and you will not split your throat crying from the thicket. Nearer, nearer!"
"On your word."
"A word is for knights, not for robbers. If it please you, believe; if not, believe not."
"May two come?"
"They may."
After a while from out the thicket a hundred yards distant appeared two men, tall and broad-shouldered. One somewhat bent seemed to be a man of years; the other went upright, but stretched his neck with curiosity toward the cabin. Both wore short sheepskin coats covered with gray cloth of the kind used by petty nobles, high cowhide boots, and fur caps drawn down to their ears.
"What the devil!" said Kmita, examining the two men with care.
"Colonel!" cried Soroka, "a miracle indeed, but those are our people."
Meanwhile they approached within a few steps, but could not see the men standing near the cabin, for the horses concealed them.
- VOL. I. — 27
