them, some time during the summer; we may just as well let them
lie here. Now, Luka, we must walk in good earnest. We ought to be able
to make five-and-thirty miles a day over a tolerably level country, and
at that rate we shall be a long way off before winter."

The forests abounded with squirrels. Although Luka assured him that they
were excellent eating, Godfrey could not bring himself to shoot at the
pretty creatures. "It would be a waste of powder and shot, Luka," he
said. "We have plenty of meat to go on with at present, when it is gone
it will be time enough to begin to think of shooting game; besides,
there are numbers of mines about this country, and the sound of a gun
might bring out the Cossacks."

CHAPTER XI.

AFLOAT.

It was a pleasant journey through the forest, with its thick and varied
foliage, that afforded a shade from the sun's rays, with patches of open
ground here and there bright with flowers. Godfrey had enjoyed it at
first, but he enjoyed it still more after he had got rid of the convict
badge. He had now no fear of meeting anyone in the woods except
charcoal-burners or woodmen, or escaped convicts like themselves. By
such they would not be suspected of being aught but what they
seemed--two peasants; unless indeed, a hat should fall off. The first
night after leaving the prison Godfrey had done his best to obliterate
the convict brand, by singeing it off as he had done before.

Each day the air grew warmer, and they could pick as they walked any
quantity of raspberries and whortleberries. Luka always filled the
kettle at each streamlet they came to, as they could never tell how long
they would be before they arrived at another, and the supply rendered
them independent, and enabled them to camp whenever they took a fancy to
a spot. They walked steadily from sunrise to sunset, and as they went at
a good pace Godfrey was sure that they were doing fully the thirty-five
miles a day he had calculated on. Although Sundays had not been observed
at the prison, and the work went on those days as on others, Godfrey had
not lost count, and knew that it was on a Monday evening that they had
broken out, and each Sunday was used as a day of rest.

"We are travelling at a good pace, Luka," he said, "and thirty-five
miles a day six days a week is quite enough, so on Sundays we will
always choose a good camping ground by a stream, wash our clothes, and
rest."

They had little trouble about provisi