He offered, no resistance, knowing that in case he did
he would be thrust through that moment. He even struck
his horse with his heels to urge him on; and so Volodyovski
led him as a wolf leads a kid.

In view of this, a couple of tens of warriors rushed, out
from both sides of the river, for no more could find place on
the dam. They fought in single combat, man with man,
horse with horse, sabre with sabre; and it was a wonderful
sight, that series of duels, on which both armies looked with
the greatest interest, drawing auguries from them of the fu-
ture success. The morning sun shone upon the combatants,
and the air was so transparent that even the faces might
be seen from both sides. Any one looking from a distance
would have thought that it was a tournament or games.
But at one moment a riderless horse would spring from the
tumult; at another, a body would tumble from the dam
into the clear mirror of the water, which splashed up in
golden sparks and then moved forward in a circling wavelet
farther and farther from shore.

The courage of the soldiers in both armies grew as they
beheld the bravery of their own men and their eagerness
for the fight. Each sent good wishes to its own. Suddenly
Skshetuski clasped his hands and cried,--

"Vershul is lost; he fell with his horse. Look! he was
sitting on the white one."

But Vershul was not lost, though he had indeed fallen
with his horse; for they had both been thrown by Pulyan,
a former Cossack of Prince Yeremi, then next in command
to Krivonos. He was a famous skirmisher, and had never
left off that game. He was so strong that he could easily
break two horseshoes at once. He had the reputation of
being invincible in single combat. When he had thrown
Vershul he attacked a gallant officer, Koroshlyakhtsits, and
cut him terribly, -- almost to the saddle. Others drew back
in fear. Seeing this, Pan Longin turned his Livonian
mare against him.

"You are lost!" cried Pulyan, when he saw the fool-
hardy man.

"It can't be helped," answered Podbipienta, raising his
sabre for the blow.

He had not, however, his Zervikaptur, that being reserved
for ends too important to permit its use in desultory combat.
He had left it in the hands of his faithful armor-bearer in
the ranks, and had merely a light blade of blue steel en-