long ago between him and his son. He
did not reopen it now, he was only gratified to think there was a
likelihood of the daffodil coming back to its birthplace, where it
certainly ought to be. "How much does Miss Julia ask for it?" he
inquired.

"Nothing," Joost answered; "she does not wish to sell it; she wishes
to give it back."

"But, but!" Mijnheer exclaimed, pushing up his spectacles in
astonishment; he knew the value of the thing and the offers that must
have been made for it; this way was not at all his notion of doing
business; also he found it hard to reconcile with the Julia he
remembered. He recollected talk he had had with her when she had
proved herself an apt pupil in trade and trade dealings, and shown,
not only a very good comprehension of such things, but also an eye to
the main chance. "This is nonsense," he said; "it is not business."

Joost looked distressed. "I gave her the bulb," he ventured; "she does
not want to sell me back my present."

Mijnheer did not recognise any such distinction in business
transactions, and for a little it looked as if "The Good Comrade"
would be sent wandering again, sacrificed to his old-fashioned notions
of integrity. Joost should not have it unless he paid for it, he said
so with decision. He himself would buy it if Joost would not, and if
she would not sell it to him then neither of them should have it.

And Joost could not, even if he would, explain why and how the paying
was so difficult. He used all the arguments he could; indeed, for one
of his nature, he spoke with considerable diplomacy.

"Supposing," he said at last, "that it was only a sport, and that next
year it reverts and is blue as are the others, the parent bulbs? Miss
Julia thinks of that--she would not like to be paid for it now in case
of such a thing, will you not at least wait until the spring? She has
given nothing for it herself; it is not as if she had sunk money and
wants an immediate return."

Mijnheer did not consider that made any difference and he said so,
reading his son a lecture on business morality according to his
standard, of a very severe order. Joost listened with meekness to the
entirely undeserved reproof for meanness and dishonourable views; then
the old man announced finally what he should do. He should write to
Julia and offer her a smallish sum down in case the bulb proved to be
of no great worth, and a promise of a proportional percentage
afterwards if it proved valu