The terrified boatmen uttered exclamations of despair and dropped their poles. “Courage, my friends!” cried Michael; “courage! Fifty roubles for you if we reach the right bank before the boats overtake us.” Incited by these words, the boatmen again worked manfully but it soon become evident that they could not escape the Tartars. It was scarcely probable that they would pass without attacking them. On the contrary, there was everything to be feared from robbers such as these. “Do not be afraid, Nadia,” said Michael; “but be ready for anything.” “I am ready,” replied Nadia. “Even to leap into the water when I tell you?” “Whenever you tell me.” “Have confidence in me, Nadia.” “I have, indeed!” The Tartar boats were now only a hundred feet distant. They carried a detachment of Bokharian soldiers, on their way to reconnoiter around Omsk. The ferryboat was still two lengths from the shore. The boatmen redoubled their efforts. Michael himself seized a pole and wielded it with superhuman strength. If he could land the tarantass and horses, and dash off with them, there was some chance of escaping the Tartars, who were not mounted. But all their efforts were in vain. “Saryn na kitchou!” shouted the soldiers from the first boat. Michael recognized the Tartar war-cry, which is usually answered by lying flat on the ground. As neither he nor the boatmen obeyed a volley was let fly, and two of the horses were mortally wounded. At the next moment a violent blow was felt. The boats had run into the ferryboat. “Come, Nadia!” cried Michael, ready to jump overboard. The girl was about to follow him, when a blow from a lance struck him, and he was thrown into the water. The current swept him away, his hand raised for an instant above the waves, and then he disappeared. Nadia uttered a cry, but before she had time to throw herself after him she was seized and dragged into one of the boats. The boatmen were killed, the ferryboat left to drift away, and the Tartars continued to descend the Irtych. CHAPTER XIV MOTHER AND SON OMSK is the official capital of Western Siberia. It is not the most important city of the government of that name, for Tomsk has more inhabitants and is larger. But it is at Omsk that the Governor-General of this the first half of Asiatic Russia resides. Omsk, properly so called, is composed of two distinct towns: one which is exclusively inhabited by the authorities and officials; the other more especially devoted to the Siberian merchants, although, indeed, the trade of the town is of small importance. This city has about 12,000 to 13,000 inhabitants. It is defended by walls, but these are merely of earth, and could afford only insufficient protection. The Tartars, who were well aware of this fact, consequently tried at this period to carry it by main force, and in this they succeeded, after an investment of a few days.