“Have you got my boy there?”

“No!”

The bushes rustled, and Akoulína appeared on the opposite side of a hollow, with her skirt tucked up to her knees and a basket on her arm.

“Haven’t you seen my boy?”

“No.”

“Here’s a nice business!⁠ ⁠… Míshka!”

“Míshka!⁠ ⁠…”

No one answered.

“What a bother! He’ll get lost!⁠ ⁠… He’ll wander off into the big forest.”

Ólga jumped up and went with Groúsha to look for him one way, and Akoulína another, unceasingly calling with their ringing voices; but no one answered.