"Why, then, have it as you please. But if things begin to go wrong here, then you'll have to take over yourself."
"I will if need be. But by the time you've ploughed this autumn you'll see yourself there will be no need. Good luck go with you, brother, and with the place."
"H'm." The elder brother coughed again. "And what about the price. We must fix that beforehand."
"What for? You take over the place as it stands, and you'll find it good enough. Give me the bit of marshland at Isosuo, and the oat fields adjoining, and the little copse that's fenced in with it, and that's all I want. You can let me take what timber I want from your part, for building and such."
"Ho, so you think that's fair, do you?" said his brother eagerly. "A nice bit of ground—and there's all the clay you'll need ready to hand. But it'll cost a deal of hard work to drain and clear it—I've thought over that many a time. As for the building timber—you shall have all you want, and help for the carting. But all the same, we must fix a price for Koskela as a whole, and make a fair division."
"There's nothing to divide, I tell you. You take over the whole place, except the bit I've said. You see how it is: each of us wants to give more than the other's willing to take, so there's no need to quarrel about that. And if I want anything later on, I'll ask you for it; if there's anything you want, you'll come to your brother first."
"Well, well—I dare say it'll be all right. Anyhow, I'll do what I can to keep up Koskela as it's always been."
And the elder brother began once more drumming with his fingers, faster this time, and as it were more firmly.
Suddenly he sprang up. "They ought to finish that field to-day—I must see they don't stop work before it's done."
He left the room and hurried across the courtyard.