"Gone to early service."
"Wake up that sleeping ox over there and send him!"
"No, let him sleep," objected Sellén, covering up Olle, who was still snoring loudly.
"Then I must show you another way. What's the floor-packing? Earth or rubbish?"
"I don't understand these matters," replied Sellén, carefully stepping on some sheets of cardboard which were lying on the floor.
"Have you got another piece of cardboard?"
"What are you driving at?" asked Sellén, colouring up to the roots of his hair.
"I want it, and a pair of fire-tongs."
Sellén gave him the required articles, took his sketching stool and sat down on the pieces of cardboard as if he were guarding a treasure.
Borg took off his coat, and with the help of the fire-tongs loosened a board in the floor, rotted by rain and acids.