“Me? Why, my chum and I, we’re going to Borisovo, we’ve been hired by the oil-factory. Give us a lift, since we’re going in the same direction!”

The man examined Salakin, then Vanyushka, poured himself some beer, and, fishing out pieces of cork with his finger, answered curtly:

“Doesn’t suit me.”

“Give us a lift, be a good fellow! We’ll give you five kopecks apiece.…”

“I don’t need it,” said the young man, without looking at Salakin.

“Give us a lift, for Christ’s sake!” begged Vanyushka gently and timidly.

The young man looked at them, frowned, and shook his head.

“What a fellow you are!” exclaimed Salakin. “Isn’t it all one to you? We’ve a long way to go, we’re tired, you can see what kind of clothes we have on.…”

“You should dress more warmly,” the charcoal-burner said with a sneer.

“But if we haven’t any money!” said Vanyushka persuasively. “You see, we’re poor…”

“And why are you poor?” asked the charcoal-burner unconcernedly, and returned to his beer.

Vanyushka exchanged glances with his comrade, both grew silent, and stood cap in hand before the charcoal-burner.

Then the old woman who kept the pot-house spoke up:

“Don’t put on airs, Nikolai, give them a lift. What’s the matter? The horse is going to go anyway, and besides, they offer five kopecks apiece! You ask to be paid in advance, and let them ride.”

The charcoal-burner again examined the two friends in turn. Then he sighed and said:

“Ten kopecks apiece.”

“Very well!” shouted Salakin, waving his arm. “Here, take it, make the most of it!”

“Take a look at the money first,” the old woman advised.

The charcoal-burner threw the coin on the table, listened to the ring of it, then bit it with his teeth, and going over to the counter, threw it to the old woman, saying:

“This is for the beer.”

“What a dog!” Salakin whispered to Vanyushka.

“You sit in the empty one,” said the charcoal-burner to Vanyushka, having gotten the change from the old woman, “and you with me.…”

“Very well,” agreed Salakin. “But why shouldn’t we ride together?”

“And why together?” asked the charcoal-burner suspiciously.

“We’d be warmer.…”