t must borrow of its own people."

The crafty captain sat for a moment quite dumbfounded; but he could
bear it no longer. His spirit was up, and bringing his fist down with
a thump, he exclaimed: "Morten, you are a little too bad with your
confounded airs! If the firm wants money, is it unreasonable to
borrow it of me, I who have gained every farthing I possess in the
service of your father and you?"

"But don't you understand," said the Consul, who was getting rather
excited; "cannot you see how our credit would suffer, if it were
known that one of our own captains had helped the firm out of
difficulties?"

"Stuff and nonsense with your credit; cash beats credit any day. My
money is as good as yours, Morten Garman; and if you won't have it,
you are not the man I take you for."

Jacob Worse was now beside himself with eagerness, and, without
either of them noticing it, the ceremonious style was dropped, and
they talked in familiar language.

"Come, come, Jacob, don't let us quarrel," said the Consul, pulling
up his neckcloth. It was the first time that any one had thus got the
better of him.

He looked at the money, and then gazed out upon the garden. A long
pause ensued.

Skipper Worse had got up and stood with his back to the table,
examining a map on the wall. The old clock in the sitting-room ticked
terribly slowly.

At last Consul Garman got up, and approaching him, said: "Listen,
Jacob Worse. I will take your money if you will enter into
partnership with me."

"What! what do you say? Partnership? Are you mad, Herr Consul?"

"Listen to me. You invest your capital--that is to say, as much of it
as you please--in the business, and to that extent you become a
partner in the firm of Garman and Worse. The rest we can arrange at
leisure."

"No, no, Herr Consul; I never intended this. Change the name of the
firm indeed! It is out of the question, and you don't mean it,
either."

"Yes, I do mean it. It is the only way in which the affair can be
arranged. Let us sit down and examine the matter calmly. It is
absolutely intolerable to me to borrow money of you; but, on the
other hand, there is no reason, as far as my own feelings are
concerned, or as regards the external relations of the firm, why we,
at a busy and, shall I say, a critical moment, should not admit into
the house, a man who for many years has worked with us, or why we
should not, as a consequence of the agreement, add his name to ours,
so th