was very threatening.

It would perhaps have been more prudent not to have ascended
the mountains during the night, and Michael would not have done so,
had he been permitted to wait; but when, at the last stage,
the iemschik drew his attention to a peal of thunder reverberating
among the rocks, he merely said:

"Is a telga still before us?"

"Yes."

"How long is it in advance?"

"Nearly an hour."

"Forward, and a triple tip if we are at Ekaterenburg to-morrow morning."


CHAPTER X A STORM IN THE URAL MOUNTAINS

THE Ural Mountains extend in a length of over two thousand miles
between Europe and Asia. Whether they are called the Urals,
which is the Tartar, or the Poyas, which is the Russian name,
they are correctly so termed; for these names signify "belt"
in both languages. Rising on the shores of the Arctic Sea,
they reach the borders of the Caspian. This was the barrier
to be crossed by Michael Strogoff before he could enter
Siberian Russia. The mountains could be crossed in one night,
if no accident happened. Unfortunately, thunder muttering