"Are the devils sleeping?" growled Tchelkache, catching the ropes hanging over the side with his boat-hook. "The ladder isn't lowered. In this rain, besides. . . It couldn't have rained before! Eh! You vermin, there! Eh!"
"Is that you Selkache?" came softly from above.
"Lower the ladder, will you!"
"Good-day, Selkache."
"Lower the ladder, smoky devil!" roared Tchelkache.
"Oh! Isn't he ill-natured to-day. . . Eh! Oh!"
"Go up, Gavrilo!" commanded Tchelkache to his companion.
In a moment they were on the deck, where three dark and bearded individuals were looking over the side at Tchelkache's boat and talking animatedly in a strange and harsh language. A fourth, clad in a long gown, advanced toward Tchelkache, shook his hand in silence and cast a suspicious glance at Gavrilo.
"Get the money ready for to-morrow morning," briefly said Tchelkache.
"I'm going to sleep, now. Come Gavrilo. Are you hungry?"
"I'm sleepy," replied Gavrilo,