The horse gave a tug, then another, but failed to clear himself and settled down again as if considering something.
‘Now, brother, this won’t do!’ Nikita admonished him. ‘Now once more!’
Again Nikita tugged at the shaft on his side, and Vasili Andreevich did the same on the other.
Mukhorty lifted his head and then gave a sudden jerk.
‘That’s it! That’s it!’ cried Nikita. ‘Don’t be afraid — you won’t sink!’
One plunge, another, and a third, and at last Mukhorty was out of the snow-drift, and stood still, breathing heavily and shaking the snow off himself.