Once Yermolai suggested that I go to Lgov - to hunt ducks. Lgov is a large village on the swampy river Rosota. 5 miles from Lgov this river turns into a wide pond, overgrown with dense reeds. Countless ducks of all possible breeds have been found on this pond. It turned out to be difficult to hunt on this pond: the dogs could not get the shot game from the continuous reed thickets. We decided to go to Lgov for a boat.

Suddenly, because of the thick rocket, we were met by a man of medium height in shabby clothes and holey boots. He looked about 25 years old, his long blond hair stuck out with fixed plaits, his small brown eyes blinked affably, and his face tied with a black scarf smiled. He introduced himself as Vladimir and offered us his services.

On the way to Lgov, I learned his story. Vladimir was freed, in his youth he studied music, then served as a valet, was literate and read books. He expressed himself very elegantly, like a provincial actor playing the first lovers, for which he was loved by girls. I asked why he tied his face with a scarf. Vladimir said that this is his friend, an inexperienced hunter, accidentally shot him with his chin and index finger of his right hand.

We got to Lgov, and Yermolai decided to take a boat from a man nicknamed Suchok. Barefooted and tousled Bitch looked about 60 years old. He had a boat, but a bad one. Anyway, we decided to use it, having scored the tow gaps. I asked Bitch if he had been a fisherman here for a long time. It turned out that Suchok changed many occupations and masters before being in Lgov. He was a coachman, and a cook, and a gardener, and even an actor; replaced five owners, and now he was made a fisherman in a pond, where there were no fish at all. He was not married - his late mistress, an old maid, did not allow the courtyards to marry.

Finally, the boat was ready, and we went hunting. By lunchtime, our boat was filled with game to the brim. We were about to return to the village, when suddenly an unpleasant incident happened to us. The boat was leaking little by little, and Vladimir was instructed to scoop up water. Carried away by hunting, he forgot about his duties. Suddenly, from the sudden movement of Yermolai, our dilapidated boat tipped and triumphantly sank. A moment later we were standing up to the neck in the water, surrounded by the bodies of ducks.

The water was very cold. Reeds grew around. In the distance, above their tops, a shore was visible. Yermolai went to look for a ford. He did not return for more than an hour, and we managed to freeze. Yermolai brought us out of the pond only in the evening. Two hours later we were already sitting, dried, in a large hay shed and were about to have dinner.