THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER. 157 



the shed where our horses stood, and see if they had 

 fodder. I had an excellent horse with me, and more 

 than one Kabardan had alfeady looked at him with an 

 approving eye ; so I thought a little caution could do 

 no harm at all events. 



Groping along the boarded wall, I suddenly heard 

 voices. One of them I recognized instantly for that 

 scamp Asamat's, our host's son ; the other person spoke 

 less, and in a lower tone. What are they coshering 

 about ? thought I ; not about my horse, is it ? With 

 that I squatted down by the wall, determined not to 

 lose a word ; but the noise of the singing, and the din 

 vithin doors now and then drowned a part of the con- 

 versation in which I was so much interested. 



'You have a splendid horse,' said Asamat. ' Were 

 I master here, and had a herd of three hundred 

 mares, I would freely give the half of them for your 

 courser, Kasbitch.' 



Aha, Kasbitch ! said I to myself ; and I called to 

 mind the shirt of mail. 



' Ay,' replied Kasbitch, after a moment's silence, 

 ( there is not his like in all Kabarda. Once this was 

 beyond the Terek I set out with the Abreks to 

 capture Russian herds of horses. The attempt was 

 a failure, and we scattered, one this way, another that. 

 Four Cossacks were after me. I could hear the 



