y, perhaps?"

"Come, harbour-master, we have had enough of this!" exclaimed Jacob
Worse.

But the other, taking no notice of him, went on.

"No knowing; bad times for all. Spoke to Captain Andersen, _Freya_,
just come from Bergen. Old Adam wanted two thousand dollars, they
say, if he could only get them; but he could not, not a rap. No;
those Bergensers are not to be taken in."

This was too bad. Worse went home. It was in everybody's mouth that
things were going ill with the firm C. F. Garman, and if its credit
was impaired, it was high time for him, Jacob Worse, to come to the
rescue.

Next morning he presented himself at the office, and entering, shut
the door towards the sitting-room, as well as that to the inner
office. He desired to have a few words quite alone with the Consul.

His manner was so very strange that morning--a mixture of hesitation
and craftiness--that it made the Consul lean back in his armchair,
and inquire if anything had happened to him.

"No, nothing whatever, nothing," answered Worse as he stood and
shifted uneasily from one leg to another; "it was only something I
wished to ask the Consul."

"We are always ready to meet all the reasonable wishes of our old
friends, as far as it lies in our power. Sit down, Captain Worse."

"Well, it was just this. I was thinking of going to the fishing this
winter on my own account, and--so--so--"

"I opine that Captain Worse knows that when he has been at home in
the winter season we have never raised any objection to his trading
on his own account at the herring fishery, nor do we now."

"Yes, thank you; I am quite aware of it; many thanks, but that was
not it. H'm! A deal of money will be wanted, Herr Consul."

At these words a somewhat rigid expression stole over the Consul's
face; but Worse mustered up his courage, and fired off his big gun.

"Will the Consul lend me two thousand dollars on my note of hand?"

Morten Garman gave a start in his armchair. "What! does Jacob Worse
also want to borrow money?"

"Yes. You see, Herr Consul, everybody wants money for the autumn
fishing, and I particularly wish to cope on equal terms with Sivert
Jespersen and the others up there."

"Yes, that is just how it is," exclaimed the Consul; "that is how it
is nowadays! One wishes to outstrip the other, and so they borrow and
speculate; but when the day of reckoning comes, then comes the
pinch."

"As for that, Herr Consul, the firm must be aware that