Then he began to mention his old comrades. The names Kokosinski, Kulvyets, Ranitski, Rekuts, and others fell from his lips one after another; a number of times he mentioned Volodyovski. Soroka heard this with wonder, and grew more and more alarmed; but in his mind he thought,-- "Some one's blood will flow; it cannot be otherwise." Meanwhile they had come to the inn. Kmita shut himself in his room at once, and for about an hour he gave no sign of life. The soldiers meanwhile had tied on the packs and saddled the horses without order. "That is no harm," said Soroka; "it is necessary to be ready for everything." "We too are ready!" answered the old fighters, moving their mustaches. In fact, it came out soon that Soroka knew his colonel well; for Kmita appeared suddenly in the front room, without a cap, in his trousers and shirt only. "Saddle the horses!" cried he. "They are saddled." "Fasten on the packs!" "They are fastened." "A ducat a man!" cried the young colonel, who in spite of all his fever and excitement saw that those soldiers had guessed his thought quickly. "We give thanks, Commander!" cried all in chorus. "Two men will take the pack-horses and go out of the place immediately toward Dembova. Go slowly through the town; outside the town put the horses on a gallop, and stop not till the forest is reached." "According to command!" "Four others load their pistols. For me saddle two horses, and let another be ready." "I knew there would be something!" muttered Soroka. "Now, Sergeant, after me!" cried Kmita. And undressed as he was, in trousers only, and open shirt, he went out of the front room. Soroka followed him, opening his eyes widely with wonder; they went in this fashion to the well in the yard of the inn. Here Kmita stopped, and pointing to the bucket hanging from the sweep, said,-- "Pour water on my head!" Soroka knew from experience how dangerous it was to ask twice about an order; he seized the rope, let the bucket down into the water, drew up quickly, and taking the bucket in his hands, threw the water on Pan Andrei, who, puffing and blowing like a whale, rubbed his wet hair with his hands, and cried,-- "More!" Soroka repeated the act, and threw water with all his force, just as if he were putting out a fire. "Enough!" said Kmita, at length. "Follow me, help me to dress." Both went to the inn. At the gate they met the two men going out with two pack-horses. "Slowly through the town; outside the town on a gallop!" commanded Kmita; and he went in. Half an hour later he appeared dressed completely, as if for the road, with high boots and an elkskin coat, girded with a leather belt into which was thrust a pistol.