“No money, I suppose, and go about begging?”
No, I did not beg; I had money enough.
“Well, you'll have to go on farther. I've nothing for you to do here;
the ploughing's done. Can you cut staves for a fence?
“Yes.”
“H'm. Well, I don't use wooden fences any more. I've put up wire. Do
bricklayer's work?”
“Yes.”
“That's a pity. I've had bricklayers at work here for weeks; you might
have got a job. But it's all done now.”
He stood poking his stick in the ground.
“What made you come to me?”
“Every one said go to the Lensmand if I wanted work.”
“Oh, did they? Well, I've always got a crowd here working at something
or other--those bricklayers, now. Can you put up a fence that's proof
against fowls?--For that's more than any soul on earth ever could,
haha!--
“Worked for Captain Falkenberg, you said, at Øvrebø?”
“Yes.”
“What were you doing there?”
“Felling timber.”
“I don't know him--he lives a long way off. But I've heard of him. Any
papers from him?”