em friendly
services, and when they had got their grog ready and settled
themselves comfortably on their wooden chairs, they entertained
him, sitting and darning the gaping holes in their stockings, with
gallows humor and adventurous lies. Petter Nord liked it, although
he would not acknowledge it. They were now for him almost what the
mice had been formerly.

Now it happened that these wharf-rats had heard some gossip from
the village. And after the space of six years they brought Petter
Nord information that Halfvorson had put the fifty crowns out for
him to disqualify him as a witness. And in their opinion Petter
Nord ought to go back to the town and punish Halfvorson.

But Petter Nord was sensible and deliberate, and equipped with the
wisdom of this world. He would not have anything to do with such a
proposal.

The Petters spread the story about through the whole quarter. Every
one said to Petter Nord: "Go back and punish Halfvorson, then you
will be arrested, and there will be a trial, and the thing will get
into the papers, and the fellow's shame will be known throughout
all the land."

But Petter Nord would not. It might be amusing, but revenge is a
costly pleasure, and Petter Nord knew that Life is poor. Life
cannot afford such amusements.

One morning the three men had come to him and said that they were
going in his place to beat Halfvorson, "that justice should be done
on earth," as they said.

Petter Nord threatened to kill all three of them if they went one
step on the way to the village.

Then one of them who was little and short, and whose name was
Long-Petter, made a speech to Petter Nord.

"This earth," he said, is an apple hanging by a string over a fire
to roast. By the fire I mean the kingdom of the evil one; Petter
Nord, and the apple must hang near the fire to be sweet and tender;
but if the string breaks and the apple falls into the fire, it is
destroyed. Therefore the string is very important, Petter Nord. Do
you understand what is meant by the string?"

"I guess it must be a steel wire," said Petter Nord.

"By the string I mean justice," said Long-Petter with deep
seriousness. "If there is no justice on earth, everything falls
into the fire. Therefore the avenger may not refuse to punish, or
if he will not do it, others must."

"This is the last time I will offer any of you any grog," said
Petter Nord, quite unmoved by the speech.

"Yes, it can't be helped," said Long-Petter, "