ther tobacco, and last came the joiner's wife, who by
this time had prepared her samovar, and, anxious to make up the quarrel
of the previous day, brought the traveller a cup of tea.

Neighbor Nikita refused the loan of the hat, so the old one had to be
patched up for the occasion. This occupied some time, as there were many
holes in it.

Finally Polikey was all ready, and jumping on the wagon started on his
journey, after first making the sign of the cross.

At the last moment his little boy, Mishka, ran to the door, begging to
be given a short ride; and then his little daughter, Mashka, appeared on
the scene and pleaded that she, too, might have a ride, declaring that
she would be quite warm enough without furs.

Polikey stopped the horse on hearing the children, and Akulina placed
them in the wagon, together with two others belonging to a neighbor--all
anxious to have a short ride.

As Akulina helped the little ones into the wagon she took occasion to
remind Polikey of the solemn promise he had made her not to touch a drop
of vodki during the journey.

Polikey drove the children as far as the blacksmith's place, where he
let them out of the wagon, telling them they must return home. He then
arranged his clothing, and, setting his hat firmly on his head, started
his horse on a trot.

The two children, Mishka and Mashka, both barefooted, started running at
such a rapid pace that a strange dog from another village, seeing them
flying over the road, dropped his tail between his legs and ran home
squealing.

The weather was very cold, a sharp cutting wind blowing continuously;
but this did not disturb Polikey, whose mind was engrossed with pleasant
thoughts. As he rode through the wintry blasts he kept repeating to
himself: "So I am the man they wanted to send to Siberia, and whom they
threatened to enroll as a soldier--the same man whom every one abused,
and said he was lazy, and who was pointed out as a thief and given the
meanest work on the estate to do! Now I am going to receive a large sum
of money, for which my mistress is sending me because she trusts me. I
am also riding in the same wagon that the superintendent himself uses
when he is riding as a representative of the court. I have the same
harness, leather horse-collar, reins, and all the other gear."

Polikey, filled with pride at thought of the mission with which he had
been intrusted, drew himself up with an air of pride, and, fixing his
old hat m