His mother wrote that she could not ask his father for more money again now, for there was none too much left of all they had got for the copper mine that time; the money had gone to buy Storborg, and pay for all the goods after, and Eleseus’ travelling about.  He must try and manage by himself this time, for the money that was left would have to be kept for his brother and sisters, not to leave them all without.  And a pleasant journey and your loving mother.

No money.

Eleseus himself had not enough for his fare; he had cleaned out the cash box at Storborg, and that was not much.  Oh, but he had been a fool to send that money to the dealers in Bergen on account; no hurry for that; he might have let it stand over.  He ought, of course, to have opened the letter before starting out at all; he might have saved himself that journey down to the village with his miserable trunk and all.  And here he was....

His father comes back from the smith’s after settling his business there; Jensine was to go back with him next morning.  And Jensine, look you, had been nowise contrary and hard to persuade, but saw at once they wanted help at Sellanraa for the summer, and was ready to come.  A proper way to do, again.

While his father is talking, Eleseus sits thinking of his own affairs.  He shows him the American’s trunk, and says:  “Only wish I was where that’s come from.”

And his father answers:  “Ay, ’twas none so bad, maybe.”

Next morning Isak gets ready to start for home again; has his food, puts in the horse and drives round by the smith’s to fetch Jensine and her box.  Eleseus stands looking after them as they go; then when they are lost to sight in the woods, he pays his score at the lodging-house again, and something over.  “You can leave my trunk here till I come back,” he tells Katrine, and off he goes.

Eleseus—­going where?  Only one place to go; he turns back, going back home again.  So he too takes the road up over the hills again, taking care to keep as near his father and Jensine as he can without being seen.  Walks on and on.  Beginning now to envy every soul of them in the wilds.

’Tis a pity about Eleseus, so changed he is and all.

Is he doing no business at Storborg?  Such as it is; nothing to make a fortune out of there, and Eleseus is overmuch out and abroad, making pleasant journeys on business to open up connections, and it costs too much; he does not travel cheaply.  “Doesn’t do to be mean,” says Eleseus, and gives twenty Ore over where he might save ten.  The business cannot support a man of his tastes, he must get subsidies from home.  There’s the farm at Storborg, with potatoes and corn and hay enough for the place itself, but all provisions else must come from Sellanraa.  Is that all?  Sivert must cart up his brother’s goods from the steamer all for nothing.  And is that all?  His mother must get money out of his father to pay for his journeys.  But is that all?