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More Tales from Tolstoi V.

Zhilin crept into his hole and dug still deeper in order that Kostuilin also might be able to creep through it, then they sat down and waited till all was quiet in the aul.

As soon as all the people in the aul were quiet, Zhilin crept under the wall and forced his way through. Then he whispered to Kostuilin:

"You creep through too!" and as he did so he loosed a stone, which made a great noise. Zhilin's master, however, had placed a guard at the door—a piebald dog, a vicious, a very vicious beast. His name was Ulyashin. But Zhilin had made it his business regularly to feed the animal for some time. As soon as Ulyashin heard them he began to bark and rushed up, and after him all the other dogs. But Zhilin just whistled to him, and threw him a bit of hearth-cake. Then Ulyashin recognised him, wagged his tail, and ceased to bark.

But Zhilin's master had heard, and he now began to shout from out of the saklya:

"Hold him! hold him, Ulyashin!"

Zhilin, however, was busy scratching Ulyashin behind the ears, and the dog was silent, rubbed himself against Zhilin's legs, and wagged his tail.

They sat down behind a corner. All grew quiet again. All that could be heard were the sheep shuffling in their fold, and the water below bubbling over the stones. It was dark. The stars stood high in the heavens, the young red moon stood over the