They buried it in
the earth."

"You lie!" said the other voice.

"I tell you, that's the sort of boy they are, especially that David.
He's a sharp one. At daybreak I rose and went to the window, and I saw
our two little doves go into the garden, carrying the watch, and under
the apple tree they dug a hole, and there they laid it like a baby;
and then they smoothed the earth, the crazy fellows!"

"The deuce take 'em!" said Wassily's comrade. "Well, what else? You
dug up the watch?"

"Of course I dug it up: I have it now. Only, I can't show it to you.
There was a dreadful row about it. David had taken it that very night
from his aunt's bed. I tell you, he's a great fellow. So I can't show
it to you. But stop: the officers will soon be back. I'll sell it to
one of them, and lose the money at cards."

I listened no longer: at full speed I rushed home and went straight
to David. "Brother," I began--"Brother, forgive me! I have done you
a wrong. I have suspected you: I have blamed you. You see how moved I
am: forgive me."

"What's the matter with you?" asked David: "explain yourself."

"I suspected that you had dug up our watch from under the apple tree."

"That watch again! Isn't it there?"

"It is not there. I thought you'd taken it to help your friends, and
it was that Wassily."

I told David what I had heard beneath the window. But how describe
my astonishment? I thought David would be vexed, but I could not have
expected what really happened, I had hardly finished my story when
he burst into the most ungovernable rage. David, who held this whole
miserable affair, as he called it, of the watch in utter contempt--the
same David who had assured me more than once that it was not worth an
empty egg-shell--he suddenly sprang up, his face aflame, grinding
his teeth and clenching his fist. "That can't be allowed," he said at
last. "How does he dare to take another's property? I'll give him a
lesson. Only wait: I never forgive a rascal."

To this day I don't see what made David so angry. Was he already full
of wrath, and had Wassily's conduct only thrown oil on the flame? Was
he vexed at my suspecting him? I cannot say, but I never saw him so
aroused. I stood before him open-mouthed, and only wondered why he
breathed so hard and heavily.

"What have you decided to do?" I asked finally.

"You'll see after dinner. I'll find that fellow and I'll have a talk
with him."

"Well," thought I, "I should not like to be