up to than ever by all on the island after this feat, and going down each day to look at the wreck, that lay moored close off the landing place, he might have been taken for the captain of the schooner himself. The Danish owners wrote and paid over the salvage; a big sum it was to the island folk, but they made it bigger still as the story was told, till at last it grew to a fabulous tale. Marcelius had made a fortune in salvage; Marcelius was about to set up in business as a trader under the style of Marcelius Joachimsen & Co. . . .
Marcelius went to Frederikke one day, and said:
"I suppose you've settled now for good that it's to be Simon?"
"Yes," she said, "it's settled now for good."
She took up her knitting and walked across home with him. On the way she said:
"If it had been like the old days now, I'd have asked you to row across to Simon and bring him back. But you’re a great man now, Marcelius."
"Why as to that," said Marcelius, "I'll show you I'm no more than I was."
And he went off faithfully and rowed across to fetch Simon.
After Simon had been and gone back again, Marcelius waited his chance to speak with Frederikke again, and asked, in his blindness:
"You're still set on it, I suppose, with him?"
"Yes," said Frederikke. "And there's good reason now to have it as soon as may be."
"Why, then, there's no more to be said."
"You know what it is," said Frederikke, "when you've given your heart. I've never cared for any one really, but him."
Marcelius made no answer to this, seeing it was only fanciful talking like people in books. He asked her in to have a cup of coffee, but she said no, 'twas not worth his while. Then as she was going, she remembered about the boat.
"You'll hardly care about being paid for the boat now, of course," she said, "now you're so rich. Simon told me to ask you."
"I don't care about the boat," he said. "Thank the Lord, I've enough of money and suchlike for now.—They will be asking in church for you I suppose. When's it to be?"
"In a fortnight."
"What about the sheep that are out?" he asked. "Have you thought about getting them in?"
