Isak could hardly have managed to get the new barn built at all without Sivert's help--but there it stood now, with bridge-way and air-holes and all, as big as they had at the parsonage itself. True, it was only a half-timbered building covered with boarding, but extra stout built, with iron clinches at the corners, and covered with one-inch plank from Isak's own sawmill. And Sivert had hammered in more than one nail at the work, and lifted the heavy beams for the framework till he was near fainting. Sivert got on well with his father, and worked steadily at his side; he was made of the same stuff. And yet he was not above such simple ways as going up the hillside for tansy to rub with so as to smell nice in church. 'Twas Leopoldine was the one for getting fancies in her head, which was natural enough, she being a girl, and the only daughter. That summer, if you please, she had discovered that she could not eat her porridge at supper without treacle--simply couldn't. And she was no great use at any kind of work either. Inger had not yet given up her idea of keeping a servant; she brought up the question every spring, and every time Isak opposed it stubbornly. All the cutting out and sewing and fine weaving she could do, not to speak of making embroidered slippers, if she had but the time to herself! And of late, Isak had been something less firm in his refusal, though he grumbled still. Ho, the first time! He had made a whole long speech about it; not as a matter of right and reason, nor yet from pride, but, alas! from weakness, from anger at the idea. But now, he seemed to be giving way, as if ashamed. "If ever I'm to have help in the house, now's the time," said Inger. "A few years more, and Leopoldine'll be big enough to do this and that." "Help?" said Isak. "What do you want help with, anyway?" "Want with it, indeed? Haven't you help yourself? Haven't you Sivert all the time?" What could Isak say to a meaningless argument like that? He answered: "Ay, well; when you get a girl up here, I doubt you'll be able to plough and sow and reap and manage all by yourselves. And then Sivert and I can go our ways." "That's as may be," said Inger. "But I'll just say this: that I could get Barbro to come now; she's written home about it." "What Barbro?" said Isak. "Is it that Brede's girl you mean?" "Yes. She's in Bergen now." "I'll not have that Brede's girl Barbro up here," said he. "Whoever you get, I'll have none of her." That was better than nothing; Isak refused to have Barbro; he no longer said they would have no servant at all.