The miner father sends his 12-year-old son to work at the mine on a Christmas weekend. The boy "stubbornly and tearfully" is trying to resist, but to no avail. “The boy, too, was black, like an Ethiopian, torn off, and also flickered barefoot in tattered shoes.”

Three Christmas days were to be spent by the boy Senka in the mine at work. “Longing and despair ached my heart. ”His lips trembled, he squinted, frowning, eyebrows, trying to overcome himself and swallowing uncontrollably approaching children's tears.” Along with Senka, the drunkard Yegork Finogenov was sent to the water pump. Yegor was angry with a hangover and from his upcoming work on holidays, when the rest were drinking and walking (but he had no other choice, since Yegor had already drunk all his livelihoods).

When Yegor and Senka were left alone in a dark mine near a water pump, Finogenov went to bed and the boy had to work in the dark. Senka no longer thought about the holidays and fun. “Senka was seized by a condition similar to that experienced by a horse familiar to long-distance roads, when he landed on a yoke and moved off, waving his head slightly, knowing that it would take a long time to go with this measured, unhurried step.”

He had a feeling of loneliness and growing fear. Senka felt the presence of something terrible and yet hidden. He was tired and could no longer swing. Water began to arrive. Out of hopelessness, the boy began to scream and cry. Finally, Yegor replaced Senka.

"Senka took out a piece of black bread stuck together from dampness from his bosom and began to eat." The boy fell asleep. He dreamed of fun, holiday, bathhouse. Then he was poked painfully in the side. It was Yegor who came to wake him up so that Senka would replace him. Again there was silence. Everything was motionless, gloomy, hopeless.