"Yes, it is necessary."
"To be sure, it is necessary," said Fritz, fully convinced. For no one must think that he was a flatterer; he really meant what he said, and if he had known what an expense and what trouble these paddocks would cost, he would certainly not have expressed this opinion; but--as I have said before--in all such crazy performances, he was united, with his whole soul, to his master.
"Have you a measuring-rod here?" asked Axel.
"A measuring-rod? No," said Fritz, laughing, in a rather contemptuous and yet shamefaced manner, "I have myself invented a measuring instrument. If you will allow me, I will show you," and he ran to the nearest ditch, and brought out a great barrel-hoop, which was all entangled with strings; into the midst of these strings he put his walking-stick, as in the axle of a wheel, and let the machine run.
"The circumference of the hoop is just the length of the rod," said Fritz, "and this hammer strikes on the board, when it has turned completely round."
"See! see!" cried Axel, his old delight in inventions reviving. "And did you invent that, all by yourself?"
"All by myself," said Fritz, but he should have said his laziness invented it, for he had a great dislike to stooping his long body.
"Well, you can measure the land for me," said Axel, and went back to the house, saying to himself, Triddelsitz was a skilful farmer, and a wide-awake fellow, he would rather have him for a manager than Habermann.
After a while, the old inspector returned to Fritz, very much out of humor.
"Triddelsitz," said he, "what are you doing? You have let them sow the barley much too thick."