"But what did your father say?"
"Oh, he did not know anything until it was all over. I was afraid to tell him; he might have disinherited me, cast me off, you know. Ha, ha!"
Tidemand looked at him.
"Hm. This is all very well, Ole. But if you want to give your father, the firm, half the credit, then you should not at the same time tell me that your father knew nothing until it was all over. I have you there!"
A clerk entered with another account on a slate; he bowed, placed the slate on the desk, and retired. The telephone rang.
"One moment, Andreas; it is probably only an order. Hello!"
Ole took down the order, rang for a clerk, and gave it to him..
"I am detaining you," said Tidemand. "Let me take one of the slates; there is one for each now!"
"Not much!" said Ole; "do you think I will let you work when you come to see me?"
But Tidemand was already busy. He was thoroughly familiar with these strange marks and figures in the many columns, and made out the account on a sheet of paper. They stood at the desk opposite each other and worked, with an occasional bantering remark.