ensible utterances, and the way he was always
whispering with Volodya, and the way Volodya seemed now to be always
thinking about something instead of playing . . . all this was
strange and mysterious. And the two elder girls, Katya and Sonya,
began to keep a sharp look-out on the boys. At night, when the boys
had gone to bed, the girls crept to their bedroom door, and listened
to what they were saying. Ah, what they discovered! The boys were
planning to run away to America to dig for gold: they had everything
ready for the journey, a pistol, two knives, biscuits, a burning
glass to serve instead of matches, a compass, and four roubles in
cash. They learned that the boys would have to walk some thousands
of miles, and would have to fight tigers and savages on the road:
then they would get gold and ivory, slay their enemies, become
pirates, drink gin, and finally marry beautiful maidens, and make
a plantation.

The boys interrupted each other in their excitement. Throughout the
conversation, Lentilov called himself "Montehomo, the Hawk's Claw,"
and Volodya was "my pale-face brother!"

"Mind you don't tell mamma," said Katya, as they went back to bed.
"Volodya will bring us gold and ivory from America, but if you tell
mamma he won't be allowed to go."

The day before Christmas Eve, Lentilov spent the whole day poring
over the map of Asia and making notes, while Volodya, with a languid
and swollen face that looked as though it had been stung by a bee,
walked about the rooms and ate nothing. And once he stood still
before the holy image in the nursery, crossed himself, and said:

"Lord, forgive me a sinner; Lord, have pity on my poor unhappy
mamma!"

In the evening he burst out crying. On saying good-night he gave
his father a long hug, and then hugged his mother and sisters. Katya
and Sonya knew what was the matter, but little Masha was puzzled,
completely puzzled. Every time she looked at Lentilov she grew
thoughtful and said with a sigh:

"When Lent comes, nurse says we shall have to eat peas and lentils."

Early in the morning of Christmas Eve, Katya and Sonya slipped
quietly out of bed, and went to find out how the boys meant to run
away to America. They crept to their door.

"Then you don't mean to go?" Lentilov was saying angrily. "Speak
out: aren't you going?"

"Oh dear," Volodya wept softly. "How can I go? I feel so unhappy
about mamma."

"My pale-face brother, I pray you, let us set off. You declared