This last was a gratuity, which Nils Petter felt he ought to give for old friendship's sake.
Rordam was delighted; at last he would be able to pay off the many little odd debts that had been worrying him for years past.
Hardly had Rordam gone when Schoolmaster Pedersen came in, bringing a large oleander as a present for Jantje.
Nils Petter and the schoolmaster had never been very friendly, holding different political opinions; Nils Petter especially waxed furious whenever he saw Pedersen's anti-Swedish flag hoisted in the garden. A couple of years ago he had gone in and cut it down, but the matter was, fortunately, smoothed over, Pedersen being an easy-going man, while his wife and Jantje were very good friends.
"I just looked in, my dear Jorgensen, to see if you'd any use for a secretary. A man in your position, of course, will have any amount of writing and bookkeeping work, and you know I'd be glad to make a little extra myself."
Nils Petter was not much of a scholar. The few occasions when he had to use a pen caused him no little difficulty; his big, unaccustomed fingers gripped the pen-holder as if it were a crowbar.
"Why, I dare say I might.... And what would you want a year for that?"
"I'd leave that to you."
"Would £200 be enough?"
Pedersen jumped up in delight and almost embraced Nils Petter. "It's too much, Jorgensen, really."