Agrippa had nursed a grievance against the little girl since the
day she fooled him about the spectacles. Jan had to admit to
himself that it would have been a great triumph for him had Glory
Goldie stood on the boat that day in all her pomp and splendour, so
that Prästberg could have seen her. However, since she had not
come, there was nothing for him but to go back home. As he was
about to leave the pier cantankerous old Agrippa barred his way.

"Well, well!" said Agrippa. "So you're running down here after that
daughter of yours to-day, too?"

Jan knowing it was best not to bandy words with a man like Agrippa,
simply stepped to one side, so as to get by him.

"I declare I don't wonder at your wanting to meet such a fine lady
as she has turned out to be!" said Agrippa with a leer.

Just then August Där Nol rushed up and seized Agrippa by the arm,
to silence him. But Agrippa was not to be silenced.

"The whole parish knows of it," he shouted, "so it's high time her
parents were told of her doings! Jan Anderson is a decent fellow,
even if he did spoil that girl of his, and I can't bear to see him
sit here day after day, week in and week out, waiting for a--"

He called the little girl of Ruffluck such a bad name that Jan
would not repeat it even in his thoughts. But now that Agrippa had
flung that ugly word at him in a loud voice, so that every one on
the pier heard what he said, all that Jan had kept locked within
him for a whole year burst its bonds. He could no longer keep it