“What are you doing, Goryanchikov,” he shouted to me, “come here!”

“But what’s the matter?”

“They are presenting a complaint, don’t you know? It won’t do them any good; who’ll believe convicts? They’ll try to find out the instigators, and, if we are there, they’ll be sure to pitch on us first as responsible for the mutiny. Remember what we came here for. They will be simply flogged and we shall be tried. The major hates us all, and will be glad to ruin us. And by means of us he’ll save himself.”

“And the convicts would be glad to betray us,” added M. , as we went into the kitchen.

“You may be sure they wouldn’t spare us,” T. assented.