But now the pigeons come down on the roof again, and, tired out
by their flight, are easily driven into the pigeon-house.
"Friends, let's go for apples?" suggests Yozhov, the instigator
of all games and adventures.
His call drives out of the children's souls the peacefulness
brought into them by the pigeons, and then, like plunderers,
carefully listening for each and every sound, they steal quietly
across the back yards toward the neighbouring garden. The fear of
being caught is balanced by the hope of stealing with impunity.
But stealing is work and dangerous work at that, and everything
that is earned by your own labour is so sweet! And the more
effort required to gain it, the sweeter it is. Carefully the boys
climb over the fence of the garden, and, bending down, crawl
toward the apple trees and, full of fright, look around vigilantly.
Their hearts tremble and their throbbing slackens at the faintest
rustle. They are alike afraid of being caught, and, if noticed, of
being recognised, but in case they should only see them and yell at
them, they would be satisfied.
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