ng, Uncle, have you?' he added, needlessly screwing up
his eyes and showing his close-set white teeth.

'Abreks,' said the old man. 'No, I haven't. I say, have you any
chikhir? Let me have a drink, there's a good man. I'm really quite done
up. When the time comes I'll bring you some fresh meat, I really will.
Give me a drink!' he added.

'Well, and are you going to watch?' inquired the corporal, as though he
had not heard what the other said.

'I did mean to watch tonight,' replied Uncle Eroshka. 'Maybe, with
God's help, I shall kill something for the holiday. Then you shall have
a share, you shall indeed!'

'Uncle! Hallo, Uncle!' called out Lukashka sharply from above,
attracting everybody's attention. All the Cossacks looked up at him.
'Just go to the upper water-course, there's a fine herd of boars there.
I'm not inventing, really! The other day one of our Cossacks shot one
there. I'm telling you the truth,' added he, readjusting the musket at
his back and in a tone that showed he was not joking.

'Ah! Lukashka the Snatcher is here!' said the old man, looking up.
'Where has he been shooting?'

'Haven't you seen? I suppose you're too young!' said Lukashka. 'Close
by the ditch,' he went on seriously with a shake of the head. 'We were
just going along the ditch when all at once we heard something
crackling, but my gun was in its case. Elias fired suddenly ... But
I'll show you the place, it's not far. You just wait a bit. I know
every one of their footpaths ... Daddy Mosev,' said he, turning
resolutely and almost commandingly to the corporal, 'it's time to
relieve guard!' and holding aloft his gun he began to descend from the
watch-tower without waiting for the order.

'Come down!' said the corporal, after Lukashka had started, and glanced
round. 'Is it your turn, Gurka? Then go ... True enough your Lukashka
has become very skilful,' he went on, addressing the old man. 'He keeps
going about just like you, he doesn't stay at home. The other day he
killed a boar.'

Chapter VII

The sun had already set and the shades of night were rapidly spreading
from the edge of the wood. The Cossacks finished their task round the
cordon and gathered in the hut for supper. Only the old man still
stayed under the plane tree watching for the vulture and pulling the
string tied to the falcon's leg, but though a vulture was really
perching on the plane tree it declined to swoop down on the lure.
Lukashka, singing one son