248 STBERTA 



reached the other side of the drift I heard a splash. 

 My companion's horse had stumbled, depositing him 

 in the slush. We helped him up as well as we could, 

 but he was thoroughly wetted. If it had been day- 

 light the ride might have been fairly enjoyable, but 

 in the pitch darkness the uncertainty of what was 

 going to happen was rather trying to the nerves. A 

 little farther on we came to what, by the sound made 

 by the water, appeared to be a very heavy stream. 

 The leader decided to attempt it but, from the splash- 

 ing, I concluded that the water was both deep and 

 swift, the horse appearing to have been carried off 

 its feet. A little more splashing and the horse re- 

 appeared, but without its rider, and immediately 

 bolted into the darkness. The moujik hailed us from 

 the other side, telling us that he was wet through but 

 safe and would try to get back again, as we could not 

 proceed without the horse. Very shortly the moujik 

 reappeared, and, after a brief council of war, we 

 decided to retrace our steps, more especially as the 

 runaway horse had taken with it some of the luggage 

 belonging to my companion. The young peasant 

 mounted beside me and we turned our horses very 

 cautiously towards the village again. .We had not 

 ridden for more than ten minutes when a cry pi 

 ",Volk! volk I " (Wolf! wolf I) from one of the 

 guides caused us to pull up rather suddenly. I got 

 my revolver in readiness and prepared to shoot what, 

 in the darkness, certainly looked very much like a 

 wolf, but on approaching nearer it was discovered 

 to be the missing horse. It was clear, from the horse 

 not having made its way home, that we were sur- 

 rounded by water. The horse having been found, I 

 .wanted to wait until the moon came out, bu;t the 

 others were against me, so I was obliged to yield with 

 as good a grace as possible and return with them 

 to the village. We had been out four hours and a 



