"Chelkash" (Russian: Челкаш) is a short story by Maxim Gorky, written in August 1894 and first published by Russkoye Bogatstvo in June 1895.
"I came home, sat down and started at once to write the story related to me by this bosyak[note 1] from Odessa, whom I found myself in a hospital ward with, in Nikolayev...
Gorky, in his later essay on Korolenko, quoted the latter: "In the rough copy [of Chelkash] there are places where you clash with grammar to great disadvantage for the latter, so I corrected these.
Initially thinking he'd been commissioned for a routine night fishing trip, the boy starts to panic amidst the sea, realizing he's let himself into something dangerous and against the law.
After a risky but successful voyage, the two finally transport the load to the smugglers' boat, then fall asleep in a cabin inside.
Overpowered by the desire to get rich overnight and leave all his troubles behind, he falls on his knees and implores the older man to give him the whole sum.