Tashkent “bread- city”

19. During the night, while pretending to be asleep, Mishka overhears the muzhiks plotting against him. If Mishka were an adult, they say, they could extort money from him. But what good is a kid?

Some muzhiks just want to toss Mishka out of the train, but they decide against this because of Mishka's vague Cheka connection.

The muzhiks finally decide that when Mishka leaves the train car to take a walk or relieve himself, they just won't let him back in.

20. The train stops in Orenburg. Aware of the muzhiks' plot against him, Mishka keeps sitting in a corner and does not leave the train car. One muzhik, named Eropka, gruffly asks Mishka how he got on the train and where he is going. Mishka spins an elaborate lie. He says his from the Buzlutsky region and is going to Tashkent to see his uncle, Vasili Mitrofanov, who's a commissar. His own father, the lying Mishka continues, worked in the Cheka and was killed by the Whites.

Eropka, it turns out, is from the same region as Mishka and doesn't believe any of his story. He never heard of a "Mitrofanov" family. Mishka insists that it's all true and that he is carrying letters from both is uncle and Dunaev promising protection.

Another muzhik, named Prokhor, believes Mishka and is respectful to him. He figures that an influential acquaintance such as Mishka could prove valuable.

One of the peasants who was plotting against Mishka tries to coax him out of the train car, but Mishka doesn't fall for it.

By the end of the day, Mishka really needs to relieve himself and can't hold it any longer. He casually stands at the door and when no one is looking, he
whips it out and whizzes. Oh, sweet relief!

21. In the deep night, Eropka announces that the engineer refuses to take the train any further until everyone pays him 100 rubles. He collects money from all the muzhiks, then demands that Mishka cough up his share. Mishka reaches into his pocket and pulls out a crumpled bunch of worthless papers. He shoves them into Eropka's sweaty palm. It's dark, so Eropka doesn't see the deception.

Eropka leaves and returns shortly, reporting that engineer is satisfied with the payment and they will start moving soon.

Mishka happily ponders the fact that it is so easy to fool the people.

22. As the train continues through the Kirghiz desert, the muzhiks tease Eropka, because he's stuck with a broken watch that he's been trying to sell.

Another muzhik name Semyon is unhappy. He is carrying four skirts which he planned to sell. Now he's been told that the Kirghiz women wear pants, not skirts. Semyon curses the Bolsheviks and Communism, considering them to blame for even this latest trouble.

Prokhor continues to suck up to Mishka, sharing some of his bread with the boy.

Mishka brags that his "uncle" wanted to give his mother a half pound of dried apricots. Prokhor believes this story, and Mishka again is amazed at how easy it is to fool people.