As soon as the song reached a pause, he stood up, said "sha," and turned to go.

One of his companions seized him by the ankles, saying, "It is too early for you to go to see the girls;" and all together added, laughing, "Don't go yet, later on we will all go together." But Okoya stepped firmly on the arm of him who attempted to hold him back, so that the boy loosened his grip; then he jumped into the passage, where they could not see him.

He disliked to have any one notice that he went to see Mitsha.

Waiting in the dark passage for a short time, he glided out at last on the side farthest from where the boys were still sitting and singing, crossed the ditch into the high corn, and went through the latter upward until opposite the western end of the building.

Crossing the ditch again, he reached the slope that led to the buildings occupied by the people of the Eagle.