CHAPTER V.

STEPAN MAKES COFFEE.

"BAH!" said Stepan, moving not a muscle as Gavril brandished the great axe over his head. "It seems to me that, for a man no longer in his first youth, thou art passing foolish. Hast thou not sin enough yet upon thy soul but thou must add murder to thy wrongdoings? In truth, Red-scar, thou hast much to learn, and thou wilt one day learn thy last lesson too late, with a noose about thy neck."

"Now out upon thee for an old croaker!" cried Gavril, but his cheek had paled, and he had put the axe down.

"Hush!" said Stepan. "No more! The boys are waking."

Two days passed, and Alf and Bert had not much to complain of, save that they were not allowed to leave the hut. Gavril was away most of the time, and they were left with Stepan, who, though often moody, was never unkind.

But on the third day he announced his intention to go and make inquiry about his brother, who was in prison in a town about twenty versts away. As he spoke, the boys' cheeks blanched with terror.

"Oh, Stepan," said Alf, "if thou leave us here, we shall die of fright. Red-scar hates us, and if he find that he can gain nothing by us, he will get rid of us somehow. In this lonely place, what is to hinder his doing just as he likes?"

Stepan listened thoughtfully. At last he said, "Ah well! It must come to a breach sooner or later, and why not sooner? One thing I can do, my children. Gavril expects to be away all to-night, and he charged me, in case I had to leave before his return, to bolt you in securely so that you should not escape. Suppose we say that I bolt the doors as I promised, but if you are outside them instead of inside, I will not try to prevent. Truth to say, I am weary of the responsibility of having you here; before God, I wish you no ill, and I bitterly repent that ever I took sides with the Black Gang. I have but thrown myself out of good work; my family will be in distress, and what have I gained?"

"Dear old Stepan! Reproach not thyself any more," cried Alf, "and all shall yet be well."

"Yes, Stepan. Only help us, and thou shalt not regret it," pleaded Bert with tearful eyes.

"When our father comes to his own again," said Alf, "we will tell him how thou didst protect and befriend us, and he will gladly take thee back."

"But, my children, I know not what to do with you now, or whither to conduct you. I must see my brother, or at least hear something about him. My wife and children are with my old mother at St. Petersburg, so I have no care for them just now. But as for you, I cannot take you with me; what am I to do? To leave you here is to expose you to danger, for I trust not Gavril."

"Let me tell thee what I propose," said Alf. "I have a feeling that can we but get bank to our home, all will be well."

"Trying to get back is a great risk," replied Stepan, "but it is a choice of evils, and perhaps it is safer for you to be on the march homeward than alone with Gavril here."

"Of course I shall take Sharik," continued the boy. "He can easily carry us both, and perhaps he will find the way home, though I do not know it. He is such a clever little beast."

"There is plenty of food in the hut," said Stepan, "so you can fill your pockets, and you must also carry some oats for the pony."

So this course was decided upon, and the details were talked over and arranged before they went to bed.

But they had not had time to fall asleep when there came a loud knocking at the door, and the harsh voice of Gavril shouted, "Wake up there! Are you all dead? Open the door!"

Stepan, with a muttered exclamation, drew back the bolts. The boys were sitting up pale and trembling, despair in their hearts, for they had suddenly realised that their plan for flight was rendered utterly useless. Red-scar had returned earlier than he was expected, and now they would have to be left in his hands.

"Here I am," said he, "and you none of you look over and above pleased to see me. Well, I have no good news for thee, Stepan; quite the contrary. The factory and house are under guard, and Cossacks are patrolling round the whole place. Lots of our men are under arrest, but there is a report that the works are to start again in a week's time, and that new hands have been engaged."

"That means that dad's safe, Bert!" whispered Alf. "Oh, if we could but get there!"

"I hear that every hole and corner are being ransacked to find these brats," Gavril went on, "and a reward has been offered, but it is not enough. Another two days, and it will be doubled, and then I will think about taking these dear sweet children home."

Stepan did not reply, and Gavril said, "Well, now I have told my news, am I not to have any supper?"

"There is plenty on the shelf; help thyself," said Stepan.

"And am I to have nothing hot to drink after my long drive?"

For a moment Stepan appeared to take no notice; then, all at once, as though acting on a sudden impulse, he replied, "All right, I will make thee some coffee."

Gavril muttered a word or two of surly thanks, and went out to see to the horse, while Stepan set about making the coffee.

"Oh, Stepan," whispered Bert, "now Red-scar has come home there is no chance of our getting away."

"It does seem hard!" said Alf. "Just when we had settled it all so nicely too."

Stepan looked up with something very like a smile on his swarthy face.

"Be not down-hearted, my children," he said. "I think we will give Gavril the slip yet."