“At last, in the dusk of a night in early summer, when the mosquitos were biting with all their first fury and it was still broad day at ten o’clock, I started, walking easily and conspicuously to the south, sitting down occasionally to smoke as though enjoying the night air before turning in, lest any of my hosts should chance to be awake.  Once out of sight of the Yoort, I went quickly to my cache of provisions, and, shouldering the whole, I turned my face towards the river and the Northern Ocean.

“I had not gone far when I struck the track which led along the riverside in the direction of Bulun.  There, to my intense horror, I saw a man sitting still in a Siberian cart within a few hundred yards, apparently waiting for me to descend.  I gave myself up for lost, but, nevertheless, made my way down to him.  He was a young man with an uncertain face and weak, shifty eyes.

“‘Halloo!’ I cried, in order to have the first word, ’what will you take to drive me to Maidy, where I wish to fish?’

“‘I cannot drive you to Maidy,’ he returned, ’for I am carrying provisions to my father, who has the shop in Bulun; but for two roubles I will give you a lift to Wiledote, where you can cross the river to Maidy in a boat.’

“It was none so evil a chance after all which took me in his way.  He was a useless fellow enough, and intolerably conceited.  He was for ever asking if I could do this and that, and jeering at me for my incapacity when I disclaimed my ability.

“’You cannot kill a wild goose at thirty paces when it is coming towards you—­plaff—­so fast!  You could not shoot as I. Last week I killed thirty ducks with one discharge of my gun.’

“At this point he drove into a ditch, and we were both spilled out on the tundra, an unpleasant thing in summer when the peaty ground is one vast sponge.  At Maidy we met this young man’s father.  Here I found that it was a good thing for me that I had been isolated at the Yoort, for had I been in the Free Command I should certainly have been spotted.  The wily old merchant knew every prisoner in the Command; but as I had always obtained all my supplies indirectly through Big Peter, my name and appearance were alike unknown to him.  He approached me, however, with caution and circumspection, and asked for a drink of vodka for the ride which his son had given me.

“‘Why should I give thee a drink of vodka?’ I asked, lest I should seem suspiciously ready to be friendly.

“‘Because my son drove you thirteen versts and more.’

“’But I paid your son for all he has done—­two roubles, according to bargain.  Why should I buy thee vodka?  Thou art better without vodka. Vodka will make thee drunk, and thou shalt be brought before the ispravnik.’

“The dirty old rascal drew himself up.

“’I, even I, am ispravnik, and the horses were mine and the tarantass also.’