"Yes," put in Bert, "and he would fain have come homeward with us, but that he felt he must go and seek his brother in prison, and see how he fared."
At this the man sprang to his feet in uncontrollable agitation, and faced the children in the light of the lamp.
Both Alf and Bert uttered an exclamation of amazement, and then stood staring at him for a minute, unable to say a word.
At last Alf cried out joyfully: "By all that is wonderful—thou must be—thou art—that very brother of Stepan's whom he went to see! Yes—I remember thee well! Thou art Pamphil!"
"It is true, young sir," rejoined the man, "I am Pamphil!"
"But how didst thou escape from prison?" inquired Alf.
"Ask my Sonia there," replied Pamphil.
"It was like this, young sir," said Sonia. "I had a cousin, a warder in the prison, and he had pity on my husband. We had only been married a week when he was put in gaol, and for something he did not do."
"Did not do?" echoed Bert.
"No; another made the murderous assault, but being fleet of foot, he escaped. My husband had been drinking, and did not know what was going on, and so was arrested for the other man's fault, because he was the only one present. There was no proper trial; perhaps there never would have been. Well—my cousin Vassia was a warder, and he bribed Pamphil's warder with my gold cross (which had been in our family for eighty years) to let my husband escape. Pamphil came straight here to me.