"Many times? We ought to have money! Yes, yes; a man can chew who has
not all his teeth; he who drives with oxen will get on, too."

The mother stood blinking at Thore, who gave her many quick side
glances as he sat swaying his body to and fro, and stroking his knees
with his hands. The school-master also winked at him. Thore's lips
parted, he coughed a little, and made an effort to speak; but Ole and
Oyvind both kept on talking in an uninterrupted stream, laughed and
kept up such a clatter that no one else could be heard.

"You must be quiet for a little while, Thore has something he wants to
say," puts in the school-master.

They pause and look at Thore, who finally begins, in a low tone:--

"It has so happened that we have had a mill on our place. Of late it
has turned out that we have had two. These mills have always brought
in a few shillings during the year; but neither my father nor I have
used any of these shillings except while Oyvind was away. The
school-master has managed them, and he says they have prospered well
where they are; but now it is best that Oyvind should take them for
Nordistuen."

The mother stood in a corner, shrinking away into almost nothing, as
she gazed with sparkling eyes at Thore, who looked very grave, and had
an almost stupid expression on his face. Ole Nordistuen sat nearly
opposite him, with wide-gaping mouth. Oyvind was the first to rouse
from his astonishment, and burst out,--