"
But he was happy enough. He settled down with marvellous ease at whatever
place he came to, and could stay there till he died if it rested with
himself. Home he need not go; the children were grown up now, and his wife
never troubled him. No, this red-haired old sinner of former days--all he
needed now was a place, and work.
"Where are you going after this?" he asked me.
"A long way, up in the hills, to Trovatn, to a forest."
He did not believe me in the least, but he answered quickly and evasively:
"Ay, I dare say, yes."
After we had finished the pipes, Nils sent Grindhusen and myself up
cutting wood till the Captain returned. We cut up and stacked the top-ends
the woodmen had left; neat and steady work it was.
"We'll be turned off, both of us," said Grindhusen. "When Captain comes,
eh?"
"You might get work here for the winter," I said. "A thousand dozen
battens means a lot of small stuff left over that you could saw up for a
reasonable wage."
"Well, talk to the Captain about it," he said.
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