Anatoly Rybakov: THE BRONZE BIRD

"But you've just said that anarchists don't recognize money, " Misha said.

"I did not say paid but remunerated," the artist explained.

"The fellows will weed your potato patch for you, Kondraty Stepanovich," offered the practical Longshanks.

"That would be exploitation," the artist said, thoughtfully moving his lips.

"Nothing of the sort!" Misha protested. "You invested your labour in the boat and we'll help you with our labour."

"Put that way, I suppose it's all right," Kondraty Stepanovich mused aloud. "When will you weed the patch? It will have to be done soon." He looked out of the window which opened on a weed-overgrown kitchen-garden.

"As soon as we return," Misha replied. "In about two days."

"All right then, but I want you to reconsider what I said about the club. If I do the job, it will be the envy of all the clubs in Moscow."

He took a rusty key off the wall and gave it to Misha.

"All right," Misha said happily, putting the key in his pocket. "We'll think about it."

"The oars!" Longshanks again nudged him.

"Where are the oars?" Misha asked.

"The oars..." Kondraty Stepanovich said sadly. Misha thought with fright that the artist would again begin a discussion about private property and would not give them the oars.

"The oars and the row-locks. Otherwise the boat will be useless to us," Misha said resolutely.

"And the row-locks." Kondraty Stepanovich sighed.

He very much wanted to continue the conversation, but evidently remembered about the weeding and about the club and only sighed again and said:

"They are in the shed. See that you put them back."

Misha decided to leave Zina Kruglova in charge of the camp. Genka could not be depended upon, Slava was irresolute, but Zina, though she was only a girl, was respected and even held in awe by all the children.

But not to offend Genka and Slava, Misha told them they would go with him. Together with Longshanks that would make four; two at the oars, one at the rudder, and one on the bow as the look-out.

Returning to camp, Misha ordered Genka to get all the equipment and Slava to see to the supplies.

"We'll be gone for two days," Misha said. "Genka, look the boat over and see that there's no leak and that the oars fit into the row-locks. Make a pole and take a spare oar. Take a pair of fishing-rods. Don't forget a compass, an axe, rope, a pail, a pot, a torch with spare batteries, and two signal flags. Each of us will need a whistle."

"What about a tent?"

"We shan't need one. We'll sleep in the open. Yes, and don't forget matches. That's about all. Have you written it down?"

"Yes," Genka said, underlining every item on the list.

Misha turned to Slava.

"Now you, Slava," he said, "Divide the supplies into two bags in case we'll have to separate. Take a mug, a spoon and a knife for each. Now about the supplies. A loaf of bread, noodles for two meals, groats for two meals, some butter, tea and eight sweets. That's all, I think."

"We'll starve," Genka grumbled. "What do you say we take some eggs and pork fat?"

"No. We'll leave that for the troop. We'll catch fish on the way. And don't forget salt."

"I think we could take some potatoes," Slava suggested.

"That's an idea," Misha agreed. "But remember: no paper packets. Use sacks. In general, everything's got to be packed so that nothing creaks or clatters and, what is most important, so that nothing tinkles or bangs. Understand? Genka, grease the row-locks and take some sacking in case we have to muffle the oars."

"Don't worry, Misha," Genka said, "I'll see to everything."

"Naturally, we'll follow your orders," Slava said soberly, "but, honestly, I don't think anything will come of all this."

"You're always doubting," Genka said angrily.

"Seva and Igor have two days' start over us," Slava insisted, "and we'll never catch up with them."

"Not catch up with those lubbers?" Genka shouted.

"In the first place," Misha said, "they're on a raft, while we have a boat, which is three times as fast. Second, they have to stop frequently to buy food, find out where they are, and will probably sleep until midday. Third, you don't suppose they'll stay on the river for ever. They must stop somewhere and change to a train. That means they'll leave the raft. We'll find it and it will be the starting point for our search."

"Does that make it clear to you now?" Genka said in a mocking tone. "If not, stay behind and help Kit cook porridge."

The preparations were finished by evening. The supplies were stowed aboard the boat, which had been given a check and brought closer to the camp. Two of the boys were detailed to guard it. The departure was set for four o'clock in the morning. Longshanks remained to spend the night in the camp so as not to be late.

In the evening, when the troop were sitting round the fire, Misha appealed to their consciousness, exhorting them to obey Zina.

"We're living in difficult times. I'll say nothing about the international situation, everybody knows about that. But even here the situation is disturbing. Seva and Igor have run away. And then there is this mysterious murder. For all we know there may be bandits in the woods. And the manor with that old woman in it is also very suspicious. We must be vigilant. Above all, we must have discipline."

To strengthen the impression made by these words Zina Kruglova added:

"That old-regime countess might take it into her head to set fire to the manor to prevent the commune from getting it."

"And very simply, too," Misha said with the sole purpose of sustaining Zina's prestige. He did not believe the old woman would burn the manor down.

"To think that one person is occupying a huge house like that," Genka shouted. "There's room for two hundred kids. It's a shame!"

"True," Slava agreed. "But how does that concern Igor and Seva? The manor, the murder of Kuzmin-what have Igor and Seva got to do with all that?"

"By the fact that there's a class struggle going on," Misha said didactically. "Understand? People are not killed for nothing. And the countess, I'm sure, is waiting for the landlords and counts to come back. She's looking after the estate for them."

Slava shook his head sceptically and said:

"I don't think anybody is hoping the old regime is re-established."

"That's where you're wrong," Misha said.

"The kulaks in the village," Longshanks interposed, "say all sorts of things. Now this English lord what's his name..."

"Lord Curzon," Misha prompted.

"That's the man. Well this Curzon sent Lenin a letter."

"An ultimatum."

"The kulaks are saying that that will put an end to Soviet power."

"Stuff and nonsense," Genka cried. "Your kulaks will never see Soviet power overthrown. Neither will the countess, nor her White emigre count!"

"Curzon presented insolent demands," Misha said. "He went too far. He wants us to recall our representatives from Iran and Afghanistan. The cheek of the man! The English capitalists are afraid their colonies will no longer want to be colonies. Get it? The peoples of the East! Here, Slava, read us what it says in the newspaper Genka brought from Moscow today."

Slava opened the newspaper. In the left-hand corner were the words: "Workers of all countries, unite!" and in the right-hand corner: "Read and pass it on."

Slava read aloud the reports about the Curzon ultimatum and about the demonstrations of protest against the ultimatum under the slogan "Hands Off Soviet Russia!"

"You see? We have the support of the workers throughout the world," Misha explained. "And nothing the capitalists do can harm us."

"They're also saying that Lenin is very ill," Longshanks said pensively.