Isak thought it over. "I could do it all right in winter," he said.

"That's no good. It would have to be for the whole year, summer and
winter alike."

"Can't be done," said Isak. "Spring and summer and autumn I've my work
on the land, and no time for other things."

The engineer looked at him for quite a while, and then put an
astonishing question, as follows: "Can you make more money that way?"

"Make more money?" said Isak.

"Can you earn more money in a day by working on the land than you
could by working for us?"

"Why, as to that, I can't say," answered Isak. "It's just this way,
you see--'tis the land I'm here for. I've many souls and more beasts
to keep alive--and 'tis the land that keeps us. 'Tis our living."

"If you won't, I can find some one else," said the engineer.

But Isak only seemed rather relieved at the threat. He did not like
to disoblige the great man, and tried to explain. "'Tis this way," he
said, "I've a horse and five cows, besides the bull. I've twenty sheep
and sixteen goats. The beasts, they give us food and wool and hide; we
must give them food."

"Yes, yes, of course," said the other shortly.