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off like a real post-horse."

"Mr. Jolivet," replied the Englishman, "this joking is going too far,
it passes all limits and--"

"Now do be quiet, my dear sir. When you are done up, I will take
your place; and call me a broken-winded snail and faint-hearted
tortoise if I don't take you over the ground at a rattling pace."

Alcide said all this with such perfect good-humor that Michael could
not help smiling. "Gentlemen," said he, "here is a better plan.
We have now reached the highest ridge of the Ural chain,
and thus have merely to descend the slopes of the mountain.
My carriage is close by, only two hundred yards behind.
I will lend you one of my horses, harness it to the remains
of the telga, and to-mor-how, if no accident befalls us,
we will arrive together at Ekaterenburg."

"That, Mr. Korpanoff," said Alcide, "is indeed a generous proposal."

"Indeed, sir," replied Michael, "I would willingly offer you places
in my tarantass, but it will only hold two, and my sister and I
already fill it."

"Really, sir," answered Alcide, "with your horse and our demi-telga
we will go to the world's end."

"Sir," said Harry Blount, "we most willingly accept your kind offer.
And, as to that iemschik--"

"Oh! I assure you that you are not the first travelers who have met
with a similar misfortune," replied Michael.

"But why should not our driver come back? He knows perfectly
well that he has left us behind, wretch that he is!"

"He! He never suspected such a thing."

"What! the fellow not know that he was leaving the better half
of his telga behind?"

"Not a bit, and in all good faith is driving the fore
part into Ekaterenburg."

"Did I not tell you that it was a good joke, confrere?" cried Alcide.

"Then, gentlemen, if you will follow me," said Michael,
"we will return to my carriage, and--"

"But the telga," observed the Englishman.

"There is not the slightest fear that it will fly away, my dear Blount!"
exclaimed Alcide; "it has taken such good root in the ground,
that if it were left here until next spring it would begin to bud."

"Come then, gentlemen," said Michael Strogoff, "and we will bring
up the tarantass."

The Frenchman and the Englishman, descending from their seats, no longer
the hinder one, since the front had taken its departure, followed Michael.

Walking along, Alcide Jolivet chattered away as usual,
with his invariable good-humor. "Faith, Mr. Korpanoff,"
said he, "you have indeed got us out of a bad scrape."

"I have only done, sir," replied Michael, "what anyone would
have done in my place."

"Well, sir, you have done us a good turn, and if you are going
farther we may possibly meet again, and--"

Alcide Jolivet did not put any direct question to Michael
as to where he was going, but the latter, not wishing it to be
suspected that he had anything to conceal, at once replied,
"I am bound for Omsk, gentlemen."

"Mr. Blount and I," replied Alcide, "go where danger is certainly

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