 a hundred feet away, was the village. Katya and Orinon crouched down, whistling lightly at the dogs to stop. Katya took out his father's pair of binoculars and studied the village.

Like most villages in this part of Russia, Pevyansk had a bakery, a dairy, a stable and a Lenin statue in the center of the village. Katya couldn't see any movement. The place looked deserted. The small gardens outside the wood huts were overgrown with creepers and bushes.

The ford was within a stone's throw of the southern tip of the village. Katya realized that the only way to make a safe crossing was to search the village and make sure that no man eaters were hiding inside. But first, he would wait and watch. Patiently.

Katya gave the gun to Orinon and made himself comfortable on the hard ground. He settled down to observe the village. 'Make sure no one creeps upon us,' he said.

'Fine,' Orinon mumbled, looking around uneasily.

The warm sun was on his back and after almost an hour of watching carefully through the binoculars, Katya started feeling drowsy.

'There is no one in the village,' said Orinon finally. 'How long are we going to watch?'

'It seems empty,' Katya agreed.

He was just about to put away the binoculars when he thought he saw a hint of movement near one of the small houses. He studied the house carefully. The main door and windows were open. An empty cart lay outside. It looked unoccupied like the other huts in the village. Was it just my imagination?

Maybe his eyes were playing tricks under the strain of concentrating for so long. Katya gave the binoculars to Orinon. 'Look at the last house near the river. Do you see anything?'

Orinon looked at the house for a full minute. 'Nothing,' he mumbled.

Katya was thoughtful. 'I might have seen something near that house.'

'Really? What did you see?' asked Orinon.

'I am not sure.'

Orinon lowered the binoculars. 'Let's go then. It's not safe.'

'Maybe it was nothing,' said Katya. 'Maybe it was only a small
a hundred feet away, was the village. Katya and Orinon crouched down, whistle thinly at the dogs to stop. Katya lead out his church father's pair of binoculars and studied the greenwich village. 

 Like most villages in this part of Russia, Pevyansk had a bakery, a dairy, a static and a Lenin statue in the plaza of the village. Katya couldn't experience any movement. The place look deserted. The small gardens outside the wood huts were overgrown with creeper and bushes. 

 The ford was within a stone's throw of the southern peak of the village. Katya realized that the only manner to make a safe crossing was to search the village and cook sure that no man eaters were hiding inside. But foremost, he would expect and determine. Patiently. 

 Katya gave the gun to Orinon and made himself comfortable on the hard ground. He settled down to observe the greenwich village.' Make certain no one creeps upon us,' he say. 

' all right,' Orinon mumble, looking around anxiously. 

 The warm sunlight was on his back and after almost an hour of determine carefully through the binoculars, Katya started feeling drowsy. 

' There is no one in the village,' said Orinon last.' How long are we going to watch?' 

' It seems empty,' Katya agreed. 

 He was barely about to put aside the binoculars when he thought he saw a hint of movement near one of the small house. He studied the house carefully. The chief door and windows were open. An empty cart dwell outside. It looked unoccupied like the early huts in the village. Was it just my imagination? 

 Maybe his eye were playing magic trick under the strain of reduce for so long. Katya gave the binoculars to Orinon.' Look at the last house near the river. Do you visit anything?' 

 Orinon looked at the house for a full minute.' Nothing,' he mumbled. 

 Katya was thoughtful.' I might have seen something near that house.' 

' truly? What did you see?' asked Orinon. 

' I am not certain.' 

 Orinon lowered the binoculars.' Let's go then. It's not safe.' 

' Maybe it was nothing,' said Katya.' possibly it was only a small
 a jundred feet away, was tht village. Katya aue Orinmn crohched dodn, whistling lightly at the vogs to sujp. Katya took out fis fatheg's pair od biioculars and stuvjed the villafc.

Like nost villages ln this pard of Russia, Peeyxndk had a bakery, a dairy, a stable anq a Lenon statue in the cenuer of fhe village. Katya couldn't see any jovemenu. The place looked deserted. The small gardend ouhside the wood hutd were overtrowg with creepefs and bushes.

The ford sas within a stone's throw of thd souchern tip od rhe eillage. Katba reajized that tmv only fay to kake a safe crpssmng qas to search the vilnage and make sure that no kau eaters were hiding unwide. Tut xirsg, he wohlv wzit anf wetch. Patienfly.

Katya gace the gun to Orinom wbd made himsemf comsowtable on the hard ground. He settled dofn fo observe the village. 'Nake sure no one creeks upon us,' he said.

'Fine,' Orinon mumbled, looking around uneasiny.

The darn fjb aas on his back and after almost an hour of wwfcnikg carefully thrjugh the bimofukwrs, Katya statted fezmihg drowsy.

'There is jo one yn thw village,' saic Orinon finally. 'How long aee we going no wqtch?'

'It seems empty,' Katya agrezd.

He wss juxt about to put away thz binodulars when he thouggg he saw a hint uf koeement ntxr one of the smajl houses. He xtudied the house carefully. The main door and windoas wete opet. An empty cart lay outside. It looked unorrupied like tne otver huts in tme village. Was yt just my imayination?

Iaybe his eyes sere pleying tricks under the stswin of conceitrating sor wo ling. Kathx gave the binpculars to Orinon. 'Liok at the last homse ngad the river. Do vuo see anything?'

Otinun jolkxd at dhe house fos a wulu minuge. 'Nothing,' me oumbked.

Katya was thoughtxul. 'J might have seen xoiething bear thae house.'

'Really? What did you see?' wsked Ormnon.

'I sm got sure.'

Orinon lowered the binkculars. 'Lft's go then. It's not safe.'

'Maybe ic was nothing,' said Katya. 'Maybe it was onoy a small
a hundred feet away, was the village. Orinon down, whistling at the dogs his pair of binoculars studied the village. most villages in this part of Pevyansk had a bakery, a dairy, a stable and a Lenin statue in center of the village. Katya couldn't see any movement. The place looked deserted. small outside wood were overgrown with creepers and bushes. The ford was within a stone's throw of the southern of the village. Katya realized that the only to make a safe was to search the village make that no eaters hiding But first, he wait and watch. Patiently. Katya gave the gun to Orinon and made himself comfortable on the hard He settled observe the 'Make no creeps upon us,' 'Fine,' Orinon mumbled, looking around uneasily. was on his back and after almost an of watching through the binoculars, Katya started feeling 'There is no one in the village,' said finally. 'How long are we going to watch?' 'It seems empty,' Katya agreed. He was to put away the when he thought saw hint movement one of small houses. He studied the house carefully. The main door and were open. An empty cart lay outside. It looked unoccupied other in the village. it just my imagination? his were playing tricks under of for gave binoculars Orinon. 'Look at the house near the river. Do see anything?' Orinon looked full minute. 'Nothing,' he mumbled. Katya was thoughtful. might have seen something near that house.' What did you see?' asked Orinon. 'I am not sure.' Orinon lowered binoculars. 'Let's It's not safe.' 'Maybe it was nothing,' said 'Maybe it was only small
 a hundred feet away, was the vilLage. Katya aNd OriNon CroUcHed dOwn, wHistling lightlY At thE dogs to stop. Katya took ouT his fAtHEr's pAIr Of binOculars ANd STUdiEd ThE viLlAGe.

like mOst VillageS in this parT of ruSsia, Pevyansk HAd A bakery, a daIry, A stable and a LEniN statuE iN thE CenteR of The viLlage. KATya couLdn't see anY mOVement. tHe place LOOkEd deSerted. The small garDEnS Outside the wood Huts weRe OVeRGRowN wiTh creepers AnD bushES.

The forD WaS WIThiN A stone's throw oF the southerN Tip Of the vIlLagE. katya rEalizEd THat The only way tO makE a safe croSsing wAS to searCH the vilLage anD maKe sUre tHAt No Man EaTErs WErE hiDIng Inside. BuT fIrSt, he wOuld WAIT And wAtcH. PatIentlY.

Katya gave the Gun To OrINon And maDe himSelf CoMfortAble on The haRd Ground. He settled Down To observe The ViLlaGe. 'make sURe no onE crEepS upon us,' He said.

'FINe,' ORiNON MuMbled, looking around UnEASiLy.

The warM sun waS On HiS Back and aFtEr aLmosT AN hour Of waTChIng carefUlly thROuGh The binoCuLars, KaTyA stArtEd feeLIng dRowsy.

'THere is no One in THe village,' said ORInon finally. 'HoW LoNG ArE We goIng To watch?'

'It seEms eMPty,' KAtya AGrEed.

hE was jUst abOuT To PUt away the binoculars WhEn he thOught He saw a hint of mOvement neaR ONE of the smAll hOUsES. He studied the hOuse cArefully. ThE Main door And wiNdows werE open. An emPTY cart lay OutSidE. It LooKED uNoccupied like THE othEr Huts in tHe vIllage. WAs iT juSt mY imAgInation?

MaYbe his eyEs WeRe PlAyiNg triCKs under tHe StrAiN of ConceNTratinG for sO lonG. KAtYA gaVe the biNOcULArs tO ORiNon. 'LOok At The laSt hoUSe nEar the rIver. Do you See ANythInG?'

ORinon loOked at the housE fOr a full minUtE. 'NoThing,' hE MUmbled.

KaTya was thoughtful. 'I might hAVe seen sOmeThing Near That house.'

'reaLly? WhaT diD You see?' Asked ORinon.

'i aM noT SUre.'

OrINOn LowErEd the binocULArs. 'let's gO tHen. IT's not saFe.'

'Maybe it was nothinG,' SaiD Katya. 'Maybe it Was Only A SMaLl
 a hundred feet away, wasthe villag e. Ka tya  an dOrin on c rouched down,w hist ling lightly at the do gs to  s t op.K at ya to ok outh is f ath er 's  pa ir of  bino cul ars and  studied t hevi llage.

Like mo st village s i n this partofRussia ,Pev y anskhad  a ba kery,a  dairy , a stabl ea nd a L e nin sta t u ein t he center of thev il l age. Katya cou ldn'tse e  a n y  mo vem ent. The p la ce lo o ked des e rt e d .  Th e  small garden s outside t h e w ood hu ts  we r e over grown  w i thcreepers an d bu shes.

Th e ford was wit h in a st one'sthr owof t h eso uth er n  ti p  o f t h e v illage.Ka ty a rea lize d t h at t heonly  wayto make a saf e c ross i ngwas t o sea rchth e vil lage a nd ma ke  sure that no m an e aters wer e h id ing  i nside .  But f irs t,he woul d waita ndwa t c h .Patiently.

Katyaga v e  t he gun t o Orin o nan d  made hi ms elf  com f o rtabl e on th e hard g round. He  s ettleddo wn toob ser vethe v i llag e. 'Ma ke sureno on e  creeps upon u s ,' he said.
' Fi n e ,' Orin onmumbled, lo okin g  aro undu ne asi l y.

T he wa rm su n  was on his back an dafteralmos t an hour ofwatching c a r e fully th roug h  t h e binoculars,Katya  started f e eling dr owsy. 

'There  is no on e in the v ill age ,'sai d Or inon finally. ' Howlo ng arewegoing t o w atc h?' 

' It  seems em pty,' Ka ty aag re ed. 

Hew as justab out  t o p ut aw a y thebinoc ular swh e n h e thoug h th e  saw  a  h intofmo vemen t ne a r o ne of t he smallhou s es.He  s tudiedthe house car ef ully. Thema indoor a n d  windows  were open. An empty ca r t lay o uts ide.It l ooked uno ccu pied l ike the ot her hu ts in  t hev i llage . Wa s i tjust my im a g ina tion? 
Mayb e his e yes were playing t r ick s under the s tra in o f co nce n tr a tin gf ors o  long. Katya ga ve the bin oc u la rs to Orin o n.'L ook atthe las t hou s e nearthe river . Do youse e an y t hin g?'

Orino n looked  at the h o use f o ra ful l m inute.  ' Not hing, ' he m u mbl ed.
Katyawa s thou ghtfu l.  'I migh t have seen something n ear th at ho use .'

'Real ly? Wha t did you  see ?' asked O rin on. 

'Iamn ot su re.' 
O rin o n low ered the binoc u la rs. ' Le t's go then . I t's  notsaf e .'

'M aybe  it was nothing,' said Katya. 'M aybe i t w aso nlyasmall
 a_hundred feet_away, was the village._Katya and_Orinon_crouched down,_whistling_lightly at the_dogs to stop._Katya took out his_father's pair of_binoculars_and studied the village.

Like most villages in this part of Russia, Pevyansk had a_bakery,_a dairy,_a_stable_and a Lenin statue in_the center of the village._Katya couldn't_see any movement. The place looked deserted. The_small_gardens outside the_wood huts were overgrown with creepers and bushes.

The ford_was within a stone's throw of_the southern tip_of_the_village. Katya realized that_the only way to make a_safe crossing was to search the_village and make sure that no man_eaters were hiding inside. But first,_he would wait and watch._Patiently.

Katya gave_the gun to Orinon and_made himself comfortable_on the_hard ground. He_settled down to observe the village._'Make sure no_one creeps upon us,' he said.

'Fine,'_Orinon_mumbled, looking around_uneasily.

The_warm_sun was_on his back_and_after almost_an_hour of watching carefully through the_binoculars,_Katya started feeling drowsy.

'There is no one_in the village,' said_Orinon_finally. 'How long are_we going to watch?'

'It seems_empty,' Katya agreed.

He was just about_to put_away the_binoculars when he thought he saw a hint of movement near_one of the small houses. He_studied the house carefully._The main_door_and windows were_open._An empty_cart lay outside. It looked unoccupied like_the other_huts in the village. Was it_just my imagination?

Maybe his_eyes_were playing tricks under the strain_of concentrating for so long. Katya_gave the binoculars to Orinon._'Look_at_the last house near the_river. Do you see anything?'

Orinon looked_at the house_for a full minute. 'Nothing,' he mumbled.

Katya_was_thoughtful. 'I might have seen something_near_that house.'

'Really? What did you see?'_asked_Orinon.

'I_am not sure.'

Orinon lowered the_binoculars. 'Let's go then. It's not_safe.'

'Maybe it was nothing,' said Katya. 'Maybe it was_only a small