“That’s no use,” said Karl Johan doubtfully. “If I ask the bailiff for an advance now when we’re going to town, he’ll say ‘no’ straight out. I wonder whether the girls haven’t wages lying by.”
They were just coming up from the cow-stable with their milk-pails.
“I say, girls,” Erik called out to them. “Can’t one of you lend us ten krones? She shall have twins for it next Easter; the sow farrows then anyhow.”
“You’re a nice one to make promises!” said Bengta, standing still, and they all set down their milk-pails and talked it over. “I wonder whether Bodil hasn’t?” said Karna. “No,” answered Maria, “for she sent the ten krones she had by her to her mother the other day.”
Mons dashed his cap to the floor and gave a leap. “I’ll go up to the Old Gentleman himself,” he said.
“Then you’ll come head first down the stairs, you may be sure!”
“The deuce I will, with my old mother lying seriously ill in the town, without a copper to pay for doctor or medicine! I’m as good a child as Bodil, I hope.” He turned and went toward the stone steps, and the others stood and watched him from the stable-door, until the bailiff came and they had to busy themselves with the carts. Gustav walked about in his Sunday clothes with a bundle under his arm, and looked on.
“Why don’t you get to work?” asked the bailiff. “Get your horses put in.”
“You said yourself I might be free to-day,” said Gustav, making a grimace. He was going out with Bodil.
“Ah, so I did! But that’ll be one cart less. You must have a holiday another day instead.”