His one anxiety was
lest the Captain should turn him off when he came home. But no such
thing--Grindhusen was allowed to stay.
IX
The Captain arrived.
I was giving the barn its second coat; at the sound of his voice I came
down from the ladder. He bade me welcome.
"Running away from your money like that!" he said. And I fancied he looked
at me with some suspicion as he asked: "What did you do that for?"
I answered simply that I had no idea of presuming to make him a present of
my work; the money could stand over, that was all.
He brightened up at that.
"Yes, yes, of course. Well, I'm very glad you came. We must have the
flagstaff white, I suppose?"
I did not dare tell him at once all I wanted done in white, but simply
said:
"Yes. I've got hold of some white paint."
"Have you, though? That's good. You've brought another man up with you, I
hear?"
"Yes. I don't know what Captain thinks...."
"He can stay. Nils has got him to work out in the fields already.
Pages:
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366