At last the spectator within thought that the boy's musings were of a rather long duration, and she called out,-- "Sa uishe, opona!" He started and looked toward the dwelling, but saw only two black points peeping through the port-hole.

Again the voice spoke,-- "Why don't you come in, mot[=a]tza ?" Now he became conscious that Hannay was calling him into her home.
His first impulse was to run away, but that was only a passing thought; and it became clear to him that he had reached the place whither he was going, and furthermore that the women were alone.

Without a word of reply he climbed the roof and nimbly down into the apartment.

He was still on the ladder when Hannay repeated the invitation,-- "Opona, sa uishe." His greeting was responded to by a loud and warm "Raua, raua" from the mother, and a faint, slightly tremulous "Raua [=a]" from another voice, which from its softness could only be that of Mitsha.

The room was dark, for the fire was about to go out; but beside the hearth cowered a female figure who had placed fresh wood on the embers and was fanning them with her breath.