l his patience, Isak gave Brede a look and said: "Ay, I dare say
you would."

"Well--what?" asks Brede.

"Only that I'm not you," said Isak.

Some of the workmen chuckled a little at this.

Ay, Isak had reason enough just then to put his neighbour down; that
very day he had seen three sheep in the fields at Breidablik, and one
of them he knew--the one with the flat ears that Oline had bartered
away. He may keep it, thought Isak, as he went on his way; Brede and
his woman may get all the sheep they want, for me!

That business of the saw was always in his thoughts; it was as he had
said. Last winter, when the roads were hard, he had carted up the big
circular blade and the fittings, ordered from Trondhjem through the
village store. The parts were lying in one of the sheds now, well
smeared with oil to keep off the rust. He had brought up some of the
beams too, for the framework; he could begin building when he pleased,
but he put it off. What could it be? was he beginning to grow slack,
was he wearing out? He could not understand it himself. It would have
been no surprise to others, perhaps, but Isak could not believe it.
Was his head going? He had never been afraid of taking up a piece of
work before; he must have changed somehow, since the time when he had
built his mill across a river just as big. He could get in help from
the village, but he would try again alone; he would start in a day or
so--and Inger could lend him a hand.

He spoke to Inger about it.

"Hm. I don't know if you could find time one of these days to lend a
hand with that sawmill?"

Inger thought for a moment. "Ye--s, if I can manage it. So you're
going to set up a sawmill?"

"Ay, 'tis my intention so. I've worked it all out in my head."

"Will that be harder than the mill was?"

"Much harder, ten times as hard. Why, it's all got to be as close and
exact--down to the tiniest line, and the saw itself exactly midways."

"If only you can manage it," said Inger thoughtlessly.

Isak was offended, and answered, "As to that, we shall see."

"Couldn't you get a man to help you, some one that knows the work?"

"No."

"Well, then, you won't be able to manage it," said she again.

Isak put up his hand to his hair--it was like a bear lifting his paw.

"'Twas just that I've been fearing," said he. "That I might not manage
it. And that's why I wanted you that's learned so much to help me."

That was one to the bear. But nothing gained after