The shopkeeper should search, he should turn the whole shop upside
down before Petter Nord would let him find the bank-note.

But the fifty crowns lay in its hiding-place all day without any
one's asking about it. It was a new note, many-colored and bright,
and had big numbers in all the corners. When Petter Nord was alone
in the shop, he put a step-ladder against the shelves and climbed
up to the roll of cotton. Then he took out the fifty crowns,
unfolded it and admired its beauties.

In the midst of the most eager trade he would grow anxious lest
something should have happened to the fifty crowns. Then he
pretended to look for something on the shelf, and groped about
under the roll of cotton till he felt the smooth bank-note rustle
under his fingers.

The note had suddenly acquired a supernatural power over him. Might
there not be something living in it? The figures surrounded by wide
rings were like magnetic eyes. The boy kissed them all and
whispered: "I should like to have many, very many like you."

He began to have all sorts of thoughts about the note, and why
Halfvorson did not inquire for it. Perhaps it was not Halfvorson's?
Perhaps it had lain in the shop for a long time? Perhaps it no
longer had any owner?

Thoughts are contagious.--At supper Halfvorson had begun to speak
of money and moneyed-men. He told Petter Nord about all the poor
boys who had amassed riches. He began with Whittington and ended
with Astor and Jay Gould. Halfvorson knew all their histories; he