InafewmomentsMichael，dragginghishorsebythebridle，reachedalittlelarchwood，throughwhichtheroadlay。
Beyondthisitwasdestituteoftrees，andwoundamongbogsandpools，separatedbydwarfedbushes，whins，andheather。
Thegroundoneithersidewasquiteimpracticable，andthedetachmentmustnecessarilypassthroughthewood。
TheywerepursuingthehighroadtoIrkutsk。Plunginginaboutfortyfeet，hewasstoppedbyastreamrunningunderthebrushwood。
ButtheshadowwassodeepthatMichaelrannoriskofbeingseen，unlessthewoodshouldbecarefullysearched。
Hethereforeledhishorsetothestreamandfastenedhimtoatree，returningtotheedgeoftheroadtolistenandascertainwithwhatsortofpeoplehehadtodo。
Michaelhadscarcelytakenuphispositionbehindagroupoflarcheswhenaconfusedlightappeared，abovewhichglaredbrighterlightswavingaboutintheshadow。
“Torches！“saidhetohimself。Andhedrewquicklyback，glidinglikeasavageintothethickestunderwood。
Astheyapproachedthewoodthehorses’pacewasslackened。
Thehorsemenwereprobablylightinguptheroadwiththeintentionofexaminingeveryturn。
Michaelfearedthis，andinstinctivelydrewneartothebankofthestream，readytoplungeinifnecessary。
Arrivedatthetopofthewood，thedetachmenthalted。
Thehorsemendismounted。Therewereaboutfifty。
Adozenofthemcarriedtorches，lightinguptheroad。
BywatchingtheirpreparationsMichaelfoundtohisjoythatthedetachmentwerenotthinkingofvisitingthecopse，butonlybivouackingnear，toresttheirhorsesandallowthementotakesomerefreshment。Thehorsesweresoonunsaddled，andbegantograzeonthethickgrasswhichcarpetedtheground。
Themenmeantimestretchedthemselvesbythesideoftheroad，andpartookoftheprovisionstheyproducedfromtheirknapsacks。
Michael’sself-possessionhadneverdesertedhim，andcreepingamongstthehighgrassheendeavorednotonlytoexaminethenew-comers，buttohearwhattheysaid。ItwasadetachmentfromOmsk，composedofUsbeckhorsemen，araceoftheMongoliantype。
Thesemen，wellbuilt，abovethemediumheight，rough，andwild-featured，woreontheirheadsthe“talpak，“orblacksheep-skincap，andontheirfeetyellowhigh-heeledbootswithturned-uptoes，liketheshoesoftheMiddleAges。Theirtunicswereclose-fitting，andconfinedatthewaistbyaleathernbeltbraidedwithred。
Theywerearmeddefensivelywithashield，andoffensivelywithacurvedsword，andaflintlockmusketslungatthesaddle-bow。Fromtheirshouldershunggay-coloredcloaks。
Thehorses，whichwerefeedingatlibertyattheedgeofthewood，were，liketheirmasters，oftheUsbeckrace。
TheseanimalsarerathersmallerthantheTurcomanianhorses，butarepossessedofremarkablestrength，andknownootherpacethanthegallop。
Thisdetachmentwascommandedbya“pendja-baschi“；thatistosay，acommanderoffiftymen，havingunderhima“deh-baschi，“
orsimplecommanderoftenmen。Thesetwoofficersworehelmetsandhalfcoats-of-mail；littletrumpetsfastenedtotheirsaddle-bowswerethedistinctivesignsoftheirrank。
Thependja-baschihadbeenobligedtolethismenrest，fatiguedwithalongstage。Heandthesecondofficer，smoking“beng，“theleafwhichformsthebaseofthe“has-chisch，“
strolledupanddownthewood，sothatMichaelStrogoffwithoutbeingseen，couldcatchandunderstandtheirconversation，whichwasspokenintheTartarlanguage。
Michael’sattentionwassingularlyexcitedbytheirveryfirstwords。
Itwasofhimtheywerespeaking。
“Thiscouriercannotbemuchinadvanceofus，“saidthependja-baschi；
“and，ontheotherhand，itisabsolutelyimpossiblethathecanhavefollowedanyotherroutethanthatoftheBaraba。“
“WhoknowsifhehasleftOmsk？“repliedthedeh-baschi。“Perhapsheisstillhiddeninthetown。“
“Thatistobewished，certainly。ColonelOgareffwouldhavenofearthenthatthedispatcheshebearsshouldeverreachtheirdestination。“
“Theysaythatheisanative，aSiberian，“resumedthedeh-baschi。
“Ifso，hemustbewellacquaintedwiththecountry，anditispossiblethathehaslefttheIrkutskroad，dependingonrejoiningitlater。“
“Butthenweshouldbeinadvanceofhim，“answeredthependja-baschi；
“forweleftOmskwithinanhourafterhisdeparture，andhavesincefollowedtheshortestroadwithallthespeedofourhorses。
HehaseitherremainedinOmsk，orweshallarriveatTomskbeforehim，soastocuthimoff；ineithercasehewillnotreachIrkutsk。“
“Aruggedwoman，thatoldSiberian，whoisevidentlyhismother，“
saidthedeh-baschi。
AtthisremarkMichael’sheartbeatviolently。
“Yes，“answeredthependja-baschi。“Shestucktoitwellthatthepretendedmerchantwasnotherson，butitwastoolate。
ColonelOgareffwasnottobetakenin；and，ashesaid，hewillknowhowtomaketheoldwitchspeakwhenthetimecomes。“
Thesewordsweresomanydagger-thrustsforMichael。HewasknowntobeacourieroftheCzar！Adetachmentofhorsemenonhistrackcouldnotfailtocuthimoff。And，worstofall，hismotherwasinthehandsoftheTartars，andthecruelOgareffhadundertakentomakeherspeakwhenhewished！
MichaelwellknewthatthebraveSiberianwouldsacrificeherlifeforhim。HehadfanciedthathecouldnothateIvanOgareffmore，yetafreshtideofhatenowroseinhisheart。Thewretchwhohadbetrayedhiscountrynowthreatenedtotorturehismother。
Theconversationbetweenthetwoofficerscontinued，andMichaelunderstoodthatanengagementwasimminentintheneighborhoodofKolyvan，betweentheMuscovitetroopscomingfromthenorthandtheTartars。AsmallRussianforceoftwothousandmen，reportedtohavereachedthelowercourseoftheObi，wereadvancingbyforcedmarchestowardsTomsk。Ifsuchwasthecase，thisforce，whichwouldsoonfinditselfengagedwiththemainbodyofFeofar-Khan’sarmy，wouldbeinevitablyoverwhelmed，andtheIrkutskroadwouldbeintheentirepossessionoftheinvaders。
Astohimself，Michaellearnt，bysomewordsfromthependja-baschi，thatapricewassetonhishead，andthatordershadbeengiventotakehim，deadoralive。
Itwasnecessary，therefore，togetthestartoftheUsbeckhorsemenontheIrkutskroad，andputtheObibetweenhimselfandthem。
Buttodothat，hemustescapebeforethecampwasbrokenup。
Hisdeterminationtaken，Michaelpreparedtoexecuteit。
Indeed，thehaltwouldnotbeprolonged，andthependja-baschididnotintendtogivehismenmorethananhour’srest，althoughtheirhorsescouldnothavebeenchangedforfreshonessinceOmsk，andmustbeasmuchfatiguedasthatofMichaelStrogoff。
Therewasnotamomenttolose。Itwaswithinanhourofmorning。
Itwasneedfultoprofitbythedarknesstoleavethelittlewoodanddashalongtheroad；butalthoughnightfavoreditthesuccessofsuchaflightappearedtobealmostimpossible。
Notwishingtodoanythingatrandom，Michaeltooktimeforreflection，carefullyweighingthechancessoastotakethebest。
Fromthesituationoftheplacetheresultwasthis——
thathecouldnotescapethroughthebackofthewood，thestreamwhichbordereditbeingnotonlydeep，butverywideandmuddy。
Beneaththisthickwaterwasaslimybog，onwhichthefootcouldnotrest。Therewasonlyonewayopen，thehigh-road。Toendeavortoreachitbycreepingroundtheedgeofthewood，withoutattractingattention，andthentogallopatheadlongspeed，requiredalltheremainingstrengthandenergyofhisnoblesteed。
TooprobablyitwouldfalldeadonreachingthebanksoftheObi，when，eitherbyboatorbyswimming，hemustcrossthisimportantriver。
ThiswaswhatMichaelhadbeforehim。
Hisenergyandcourageincreasedinsightofdanger。
Hislife，hismission，hiscountry，perhapsthesafetyofhismother，wereatstake。Hecouldnothesitate。
Therewasnotamomenttobelost。Alreadytherewasaslightmovementamongthemenofthedetachment。Afewhorsemenwerestrollingupanddowntheroadinfrontofthewood。
Therestwerestilllyingatthefootofthetrees，buttheirhorsesweregraduallypenetratingtowardsthecenterofthewood。
Michaelhadatfirstthoughtofseizingoneofthesehorses，butherecollectedthat，ofcourse，theywouldbeasfatiguedashisown。Itwasbettertotrusttohisownbravesteed，whichhadalreadyrenderedhimsuchimportantservice。
Thegoodanimal，hiddenbehindathicket，hadescapedthesightoftheUsbecks。They，besides，hadnotpenetratedsofarintothewood。
Michaelcrawleduptohishorsethroughthegrass，andfoundhimlyingdown。Hepattedandspokegentlytohim，andmanagedtoraisehimwithoutnoise。Fortunately，thetorcheswereentirelyconsumed，andnowwentout，thedarknessbeingstillprofoundundershelterofthelarches。Afterreplacingthebit，Michaellookedtohisgirthsandstirrups，andbegantoleadhishorsequietlyaway。
Theintelligentanimalfollowedhismasterwithoutevenmakingtheleastneigh。
AfewUsbeckhorsesraisedtheirheads，andbegantowandertowardstheedgeofthewood。Michaelheldhisrevolverinhishand，readytoblowoutthebrainsofthefirstTartarwhoshouldapproachhim。
Buthappilythealarmwasnotgiven，andhewasabletogaintheanglemadebythewoodwhereitjoinedtheroad。
Toavoidbeingseen，Michael’sintentionwasnottomountuntilafterturningacornersometwohundredfeetfromthewood。
Unfortunately，justatthemomentthathewasissuingfromthewood，anUsbeck’shorse，scentinghim，neighedandbegantotrotalongtheroad。Hismasterrantocatchhim，andseeingashadowyformmovinginthedimlight，“Lookout！“heshouted。
Atthecry，allthemenofthebivouacjumpedup，andrantoseizetheirhorses。Michaelleapedonhissteed，andgallopedaway。
Thetwoofficersofthedetachmenturgedontheirmentofollow。
Michaelheardareport，andfeltaballpassthroughhistunic。
Withoutturninghishead，withoutreplying，hespurredon，and，clearingthebrushwoodwithatremendousbound，hegallopedatfullspeedtowardtheObi。
TheUsbecks’horsesbeingunsaddledgavehimasmallstart，butinlessthantwominutesheheardthetrampofseveralhorsesgraduallygainingonhim。
Daywasnowbeginningtobreak，andobjectsatsomedistancewerebecomingvisible。Michaelturnedhishead，andperceivedahorsemanrapidlyapproachinghim。Itwasthedeh-baschi。Beingbettermounted，thisofficerhaddistancedhisdetachment。
Withoutdrawingrein，Michaelextendedhisrevolver，andtookamoment’saim。TheUsbeckofficer，hitinthebreast，rolledontheground。
Buttheotherhorsemenfollowedhimclosely，andwithoutwaitingtoassistthedeh-baschi，excitingeachotherbytheirshouts，diggingtheirspursintotheirhorses’sides，theygraduallydiminishedthedistancebetweenthemselvesandMichael。
ForhalfanhouronlywasthelatterabletokeepoutofrangeoftheTartars，buthewellknewthathishorsewasbecomingweaker，anddreadedeveryinstantthathewouldstumblenevertoriseagain。
Itwasnowlight，althoughthesunhadnotyetrisenabovethehorizon。
Twoverstsdistantcouldbeseenapalelineborderedbyafewtrees。
ThiswastheObi，whichflowsfromthesouthwesttothenortheast，thesurfacealmostlevelwiththeground，itsbedbeingbutthesteppeitself。
SeveraltimesshotswerefiredatMichael，butwithouthittinghim，andseveraltimestoohedischargedhisrevolveronthoseofthesoldierswhopressedhimtooclosely。EachtimeanUsbeckrolledontheground，midstcriesofragefromhiscompanions。
