This time the man laughed. "If you visited this seaport you might think it all forts. There are defenses,--forts and guns,--whole lines of them, everywhere. The greater part of the population consists of soldiers and sailors." Here my father broached the subject of which his mind seemed so full these days. "I suppose there are fine schools," he said. I was so stiff by this time, and my back ached so much from the long unusual ride, that I was no longer able to concentrate my mind on anything except that I must not disgrace my father and myself by showing fatigue. At last we approached the great Amur River. Across it we could just make out a few black spots and the shining roof of a church. After a half hour ride we came to a place on the bank where a raft was stationed. A few people were already aboard, desiring, like ourselves, to be taken across. Two soldiers had the boat in charge, and as soon as we were on, every one helped them in making the somewhat difficult trip. On the opposite bank we parted from our companion, and then, for the first time, I fully realized that we had reached our destination,--the important garrison town of Habarovsk. FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 13: An officer in the Cossack cavalry.] [Footnote 14: Now connected by the longest railroad in the world with Petrograd (St. Petersburg), Russia.] CHAPTER XII A GARRISON TOWN This was my first visit to a city, and I gazed with very wide wonder at the wooden sidewalks, the big stores, the many two-story houses, the well-dressed women and the numerous soldiers on the street. I could hardly understand what father said to me, so absorbed was I in the entirely new scenes before me. Suddenly we heard the sound of trumpets, cymbals, and tambourines, accompanied by a lively song. Then a company of Cossacks on horseback issued from a side street. At the head of the column rode a group of special singers,--_pesenniki_. Father and I stationed ourselves near the edge of the street, and tried to find a familiar figure. The long row of faces splashed here and there with mud; the similar uniforms, with rifles protruding from leather straps at the back and swords at the side; the hats tipped to the right, all exactly at the same angle; every left hand holding the bridle reins, every right hand placed on the hips;--how was it possible to distinguish among them? I soon decided that my only chance of finding Dimitri was to look for his horse, which I knew to be gray, while the majority were bay. It was not long before I shouted: "Father, look at the eighth row! Dimitri!" Then still louder: "Dimitri! Dimitri! Look! Here we are!" Brother turned and nodded, but, to my great astonishment, did not come to us, but followed the others without giving any other expression of recognition. Then I heard father saying, "Why can't you be quiet? Dimitri can't come to us until his company is dismissed." Meanwhile the Cossacks, six abreast, continued to ride past us whistling and singing.