"
"Yes, that is the way," said the old man with a grin. "Thirty years ago
I should have cared more about it, if such a pretty girl had said that
to me; I should have jumped like a colt."
"But to those who can jump like colts one doesn't say such things,"
replied Amrei, laughing.
"You are rich," said the old man. He seemed to like to talk, and smiled
as he took a pinch of snuff out of his horn snuff-box.
"How can you tell that I am rich?"
"Your teeth are worth ten thousand guilders. There's many a one would
give ten thousand guilders to have them in his mouth."
"I have no time for jesting. Now, God keep you!"
"Wait a little. I'll go with you--but you must not walk too fast." Amrei
carefully helped the old man to his feet, and he remarked:
"You are strong,"--and in his teasing way he made himself more helpless
and heavier than he actually was. As they walked along, he asked:
"To whom are you going at the farm?"
"To the farmer and his wife."
"What do you want of them?"
"That I shall tell them."
"Well, if you want anything of them, you had better turn back at once.
The mistress would give you something, but she has no authority to, and
the farmer, he's tight--he's got a board on his neck, and a stiff thumb
into the bargain."
"I don't want anything given me--I bring them something," said Amrei.
On the way they met an older man going to the field with his scythe; and
the old farmer walking with Amrei called out to him with a queer blink
in his eyes:
"Do you know if miserly Farmer Landfried is at home?"
"I think so, but I don't know," answered the man with the scythe, and he
turned away into the field.
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