"Ay, but there's the book...."
"What book?"
"The savings-bank book—she wants it back. And now there's nothing in it, for when I bought the ship, d'you see...."
"We must talk it over later, Bramsen. I'm busy just now."
"Busy, eh? I see," said Bramsen, looking sideways at Mrs. Rantzau. And, lowering his voice, he whispered slyly, "That's a fine one you've got there!" and retired.
"Bramsen," Holm called after him, "tell William to come up, will you? You'll find him in the office."
William came in directly after, went up to his father and took his hand.
"Thank you, father," he said. "I didn't understand at first, but Miss Trap told me all about it. That you only wanted to try us——"
"Eh? Try you? Yes—yes, of course.... Yes, my son; it was—er—it was the only way I could see to make a sensible man of you, and get that artistic nonsense out of your head. Good idea, don't you think? Competition's a good thing all round—checks abnormal fluctuations of the market, you know."
"Father, I'm the happiest man on earth."