And what did she mean by that? Was she doubting that Inger told the
truth? Or had she her suspicions as to Isak's reading? It was no easy
matter to get at what Oline really thought, when she sat there with
her simple face, saying dark things. Isak determined to take no
notice.

"And when your mother comes home, boys, you shall learn to write too,"
said he to the lads.

Oline shifted some clothes that were hanging near the stove to
dry; shifted a pot, shifted the clothes again, and busied herself
generally. She was thinking all the time.

"So fine and grand as everything's getting here," she said at last. "I
do think you might have bought a paper of coffee for the house."

"_Coffee_?" said Isak. It slipped out.

Oline answered quietly: "Up to now I've bought a little now and again
out of my own money, but...."

Coffee was a thing of dreams and fairy tales for Isak, a rainbow.
Oline was talking nonsense, of course. He was not angry with her,
no; but, slow of thought as he was, he called to mind at last her
bartering with the Lapps, and he said bitterly:

"Ay, I'll buy you coffee, that I will. A paper of coffee, was it? Why
not a pound? A pound of coffee, while you're about it."