No, I did not beg; I had money enough.
“Well, you'll have to go on farther. I've nothing for you to do here; the ploughing's done. Can you cut staves for a fence?
“Yes.”
“H'm. Well, I don't use wooden fences any more. I've put up wire. Do bricklayer's work?”
“Yes.”
“That's a pity. I've had bricklayers at work here for weeks; you might have got a job. But it's all done now.”
He stood poking his stick in the ground.
“What made you come to me?”
“Every one said go to the Lensmand if I wanted work.”
“Oh, did they? Well, I've always got a crowd here working at something or other—those bricklayers, now. Can you put up a fence that's proof against fowls?—For that's more than any soul on earth ever could, haha!—