"Apparenly Hmenitski is besieging the fortress. In my
opinion we ought to hurry to the relief."

"I do not ask you for opinions, but give orders. I am
the commander."

"But, Colonel-"

"Halt and wait!" said Krechtoski. But seeing that the
energetic German was twitching his beard and not thinking
of going away without a reason, he added more mildly:
"The castellan may come up to-morrow morning with the
cavalry, and the fortress will not be taken in one night."

"But if he does not come up?"

"Well, we will wait even two days. You don't know
Kuda. They will break their teeth on the walls, and I
will not go to relieve the place without the castellan, for I
have not the right to do so. That is his affair."

Every reason seemed to be on Krechovski's side. Flick
therefore insisted no longer, and withdrew to his Germans.
After a while the boats began to approach the right bank
and push into the reeds, that for a width of more than
forty rods covered the river, which had spread widely in
that part. .Finally the plash of oars stopped; the boats
were hdden entirely in the reeds, and the river appeared
to be wholly deserted. Krechovaki forbade the lighting of
fires, singing of songs, and conversation. Hence there fell
upon the place a quiet unbroken save by the distant cannon
of Kudak.

Still no one in the boats except Barabash slept. Flick, a
knightly man and eager for battle, wished to hurry straight
to Kudak. The Cossacks asked one another in a whisper
what might happen to the fortress. Would it hold out or
would it not hold out? Meanwhile the noise increased
every moment. All were convinced that the castle was
meeting a violent assault.

"Hmelnitski isn't joking; but Grodzitski isn't joking,
either," whispered the Cossacks. "What will come to-
morrow?"

Krechovski was probably asking himself the very same
question, as, sitting in the prow of his boat, he fell into deep
thought. He knew Hmelnitski intimately and of old. Up
to that time he had always considered him a man of un-
common gifts, to whom only a field was wanting to soar
like an eagle; but now Krechovski doubted him. The
cannon thundered unceasingly; therefore it must be that
Hmelnitski was really investing Kudak.