ming along the natives all dress a good deal like the
Russians. I suppose in winter they wrap up more in furs, or they may
wear their furs differently, but any sort of peasant dress would do, as
it would not excite attention, while this tweed suit would be singular
even in the streets here."

"That fur-lined great-coat would be all right, Godfrey."

"Yes. I bought that at St. Petersburg. I don't know that it would go
very well with a peasant's dress, and it is certainly not suitable for
the time of year, though I shall take it with me if I can. If I could
roll it up and carry it as a knapsack it would be first rate for
sleeping in, besides it might do as something to exchange when one gets
to places where money is of little use. If I can get hold of a pistol
anyhow I shall be glad. A pistol will always produce civility if one
meets only one or two men. The other things I should want are a box of
matches for making fires, a good knife, or better still, a small axe,
for chopping wood, and a bottle or skin for holding water."

"You will be seized and sent back in a week, Godfrey."

"Very well, then, there will be no harm done. I regard this as a sort of
preliminary investigation. I shall ascertain the difficulties of travel
in Siberia, and shall learn lessons for next time. I believe myself the
true way is to strike one of the great rivers, to build or steal a boat,
to go down in it to the Arctic Sea, and then to coast along until one
gets to Norway; but that is a big affair, and besides it is a great deal
too late in the year for it. When I attempt that I shall make off as
early in the spring as possible."

"Remember you may be flogged when you are caught, Godfrey."

"Well, I shouldn't like to be flogged, but as you say the convicts don't
think much of it, I suppose I could bear it. They used to flog in our
army and navy till quite lately."

"It is a dishonour," Alexis exclaimed passionately.

Godfrey shrugged his shoulders.

"The dishonour lies in the crime and not in the punishment," he said.
"At our great public schools in England fellows are flogged. Well, there
is no disgrace in it if it's only for breaking the rules or anything of
that sort, but it would be a horrible dishonour if it were for thieving.
All that sort of thing is absurd. I believe flogging is the best
punishment there is. It is a lot better to give a man a couple of dozen
and send him about his business, than it is to keep him for a year in