"But—but, sakes alive, Paal, where's all the money gone?"
"The money—why—the money—h'm...." And in his embarrassment he looked appealingly at Amanda, who nudged him encouragingly in the ribs and whispered:
"Go on—it's all right. Tell her straight out."
"Why, you see, Andrine, it's like this. When you handed over charge of all this worldly mammon, that's naught but vanity and vexation of spirits and so on, and a clog upon the soul...."
"Oh, leave out all that and say what you've done with the money." Andrine was quivering with impatience.
"Well—I—I bought the ship."
"Ship—what ship?"
"The Erik, 216 ton register, B. I. to 1901, 12½ ft. with full cargo...."
"Overhauled last year," prompted Amanda.
"Heavens! Fool that I was not to have known what you'd be up to. And now here we are as penniless as Adam and Eve."