The things we do!

XVIII

The Captain had returned.
A big man, with a full beard, came out to us one day while we were at
work, and said:
"I'm Captain Falkenberg. Well, lads, how goes it?"
We greeted him respectfully, and answered: "Well enough."
Then there was some talk of what we had done and what remained to do. The
Captain was pleased with our work--all clean cut and close to the root.
Then he reckoned out how much we had got through per day, and said it came
to a good average.
"Captain's forgetting Sundays." said I.
"That's true," said he. "Well, that makes it over the average. Had any
trouble at all with the tools? Is the saw all right?"
"Quite all right."
"And nobody hurt?"
"No."
Pause.
"You ought by rights to provide your own food," he said, "but if you would
rather have it the other way, we can square it when we come to settle up."

"We'll be glad to have it as Captain thinks best."
"Yes," agreed Falkenberg as well.
The Captain took a turn up through the wood and came back again.


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