THE raft had started on her voyage again.
Sergey had told the lady Elena his story, or at least that part of it relating to his uncle Abram Kapoostin, and to the finding of the ring. He had given her Matvey's address, and had also himself written a few lines to the foreman, for the lady to enclose.
And then he bade an affectionate farewell to old Ivan, adding that he hoped to see him again very soon, when he should join the "Swan" later on.
But it was rather a depressed little company that started the raft again. Kostia, as skipper, felt the responsibility, and the other three missed the serene presence and quiet confidence of the old veteran whose every summer, for the last thirty years, had been spent in this kind of life.
But, after all, the thing could not be helped, and they must make the best of it. If each did his utmost, disaster might be averted, and at least they would have nothing with which to reproach themselves.
The first night they were all too much excited and too anxious to sleep. It was bright moonlight, and a calm, open waterway, so that there was no difficulty about going on, but the absence of the old skipper was enough to make them all doubly watchful. As the weather was not cold, the four spent the night on the raft deck. And as the day began to break, they too felt light at heart and happier about the voyage before them.
In the course of the morning they successfully worked their way down some rapids, and swung round a curve in the river just below, without coming into collision with any of the rocks that were scattered about. And after this they all gained confidence. It was evident that Kostia, had studied his father's methods to some purpose, and the rest of the crew began to trust him implicitly and obey orders without question.
When Sergey was not busy in the cabin, he lent a hand in managing the raft, and was quite pleased at being allowed to take his part in the work.
So for a week they drifted down the streams, borne on the spring flood. Once, while fishing, they caught an enormous sturgeon, but before they could secure it with net and spike, it had broken the strong line and vanished into the depths from which it had come.
One day, soon after they had passed a little waterside village, they spied, just ahead of the raft, what looked like a bundle of clothes in the water. They could see that it was gradually sinking, and presently it would be entirely submerged.
"What can that be?" said Kostia, who, pole in hand, was keeping the "Swan" from coming too near the bank. For the river here, though deep and rapid, was narrow.
Just then a little wave turned the bundle over, and a white face was upturned to the sky.
"Look! Look!" exclaimed Sasha. "It is a woman!"
"And we must get her out quickly," added Kostia. "Another minute and she will sink!"
So saying, he stepped to the edge of the raft on the right side.
"Sasha!" cried he. "Stand by with the boat-hook, but mind you only catch her clothes, Vassia, keep the raft steady, and steer a bit to the left. Sergey, go and see to the samovar and make some tea."
There were a few anxious moments while each member of the little company carried out the orders of the young skipper. Then Kostia stooped, and with strong arms lifted the insensible burden that Sasha drew in with his boat-hook.
"Take her into the cabin and slip off that sodden cloak, and try to get her warm," said Kostia. "I don't think she's dead. She does not look to me as though she had been very long in the water."
Vassia and Sergey bore the poor creature into the cabin, where the little stove was brightly burning. Here they laid her down, unhooked and drew away her thick cloak, chafed her hands, and poured a little warm tea between her pale lips. And, much to their delight, after about twenty minutes she began to revive, and presently she sat up and looked wonderingly about her.
"What is this?" she said faintly. "Where am I? Who are you?"
"Have no fear, Matushka!" said Vassia, kindly. "You are safe, and with friends. We are raftsmen, and but now we fished you up out of the water."
"The water? Ach, yes!" she replied in a weak voice. "He pushed me in!—like father like son!—and left me to drown. He was drunk—so drunk—and did not know what he was doing. And the water was deep, and I could not get back to the bank."
"And this man," said Vassia, "is he your husband?"
"My husband? Ach, no! Though, for the matter of that, he would doubtless have done the same. But this was my husband's father. When my husband deserted me, I kept house for my father-in-law. But there is no peace nor happiness to be had with any of the family. Assuredly God's curse rests on the Kapoostins root and branch."
"The Kapoostins?" exclaimed Sergey. "Said you the Kapoostins?"
"Yes; that they are all bad alike—thieves, drunkards, liars, cruel as death. But why art thou staring so, child? What is it to thee?"
"What is it to me, Matushka? Why, my uncle is a Kapoostin," said the boy, "and my mother was his sister—no, his half-sister."
"Is thine uncle's name Abram?"
"Yes, it is. How did you guess that?"
"Easily enough," she said indifferently, wringing the water out of her long brown hair. "Abram is my husband, who left me years ago."
"Why, none of us at Glynoi-Liess ever thought that he was married," said Sergey.
"No? Well, he can keep a secret when he likes; also to Abram Kapoostin a big lie is easier than the truth."
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