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He kept thinking that the other ABREKS who were with the one he had killed would escape. He was vexed with the ABREKS who were going to escape just as he had been with the boar that had escaped the evening before. He glanced round and at the opposite bank, expecting every moment to see a man, and having arranged his gun-rest he was ready to fire.
The Cossacks did not answer his question, which appeared quite meaningless to them. The ABREKS would have been fools to venture across the river on horseback. 'That's friend Rodka waving to us, I do believe, said Lukashka, pointing to the two mounted men who were now clearly visible. 'Look, he's coming to us. A few minutes later it became plain that the two horsemen were the Cossack scouts.
It was with great difficulty that Olenin managed to find out from him what was happening. Scouts who had been sent out to search for abreks had come upon several hillsmen some six miles from the village. These abreks had taken shelter in pits and had fired at the scouts, declaring they would not surrender.
'Of course, thought he, 'if I hadn't been ordered to I wouldn't send anyone, but an officer might turn up at any moment. As it is, they say eight abreks have crossed over. 'Well, I suppose I must go, remarked Ergushov, 'it's the regulation. Can't be helped! The times are such. I say, we must go.
Suddenly a little cloud of smoke appeared from thence, and again a bullet whistled past. The ABREKS were hiding in a marsh at the foot of the hill. Olenin was much impressed by the place in which they sat. In reality it was very much like the rest of the steppe, but because the ABREKS sat there it seemed to detach itself from all the rest and to have become distinguished.
To while away the time he was exchanging shots with the ABREKS, who were behind another sand-heap. A bullet came whistling from their side. The cornet was pale and grew confused. Lukashka dismounted from his horse, threw the reins to one of the other Cossacks, and went up to Gurka. Olenin also dismounted and, bending down, followed Lukashka.
He called to his dog who had run away to follow some animal, and his voice came back as in a desert. And suddenly he was seized with a terrible sense of weirdness. He grew frightened. He remembered the abreks and the murders he had been told about, and he expected every moment that an abrek would spring from behind every bush and he would have to defend his life and die, or be a coward.
Where are you going? asked Olenin, with difficulty attracting the Cossacks' attention. 'We are off to catch abreks. They're hiding among the sand-drifts. We are just off, but there are not enough of us yet. And the Cossacks continued to shout, more and more of them joining as they rode down the street.
'Stop, I say! exclaimed Ergushov, seizing his musket and raising himself behind the log near which he was lying. 'Shut up, you devil! whispered Lukashka, grinding his teeth. 'abreks! 'Whom have you shot? asked Nazarka. 'Who was it, Lukashka? Lukashka did not answer. He was reloading his gun and watching the floating wood.
If the ABREKS are on this side they must be caught, said he. 'That's what I say. They'll get off, said Ergushov, rising. 'True, they must be caught! Ergushov and Nazarka rose and, crossing themselves, started off for the cordon not along the riverbank but breaking their way through the brambles to reach a path in the wood.
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