At once there followed a discussion of whether they had gone far, and in what direction they had gone, and where it would have been best for them to go, and which district was nearer. There were people who knew the surrounding country; they were listened to with interest. They talked of the inhabitants of the neighbouring villages and decided that they were not people to rely upon. They were too near a town to be simple. They wouldn’t help a convict, they’d catch him and hand him over.

“The peasants hereabouts are a spiteful set, mates, that they are!”

“There’s no depending on them!”

“They’re Siberians, the beggars. If they come across you, they’ll kill you.”

“Well, but our fellows⁠ ⁠…”

“To be sure there’s no saying which will get the best of it. Our men are not easy customers either.”

“Well, we shall hear if we live long enough.”