"Captain said I was to drive to the station."
"Well, then, be off and get ready."
But Nils took him up on the instant.
"That can't be done."
"Bravo, Nils!" said I to myself. The lad was thoroughly in the right, and
he looked it, sturdily holding his own. And as for the horses, our own had
been sorely overdone with the long season's work, and the strange cattle
stood there eating their heads off and spoiling for want of exercise.
"Can't be done?" said the Captain, astounded. "What do you mean?"
"If Captain takes away the help I've got, then I've finished here, that's
all," says Nils.
The Captain walked to the stable door and looked out, biting his moustache
and thinking hard. Then he asked over his shoulder:
"And you can't spare the lad, either?"
"No," said Nils; "he's the harrowing to do."
This was our first real encounter with the Captain, and we had our way.
There were some little troubles again later on, but he soon gave in.
"I want a case fetched from the station," he said one day.
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