The man would not take our money; instead he gave us coffee in the
kitchen. But he had no work for us; the harvest was in, and he and his lad
had nothing to do themselves now but mend their fences here and there.




XIII


We tramped three days and found no work, but had to pay for our food and
drink, getting poorer every day.

"How much have you got left, and how much have I got left? We'll never get
any great way at this rate," said Falkenberg. And he threw out a hint that
we'd soon have to try a little stealing.

We talked it over a bit, and agreed to wait and see how things turned out.
Food was no difficulty, we could always get hold of a fowl or so at a
pinch. But ready money was the thing we really needed, and that we'd have
to get. If we couldn't manage it one way, we'd have to manage another. We
didn't set up to be angels.

"I'm no angel out of heaven alive," said Falkenberg. "Here am I now,
sitting around in my best clothes, and they no better than another man's
workaday things. I can give them a wash in a stream, and sit and wait till
they're dry; if there's a hole I mend it, and if I chance to earn a bit
extra some day, I can get some more. And that's the end of it."

"But young Erik said you were a beggar to drink."