"Give the lad the ten guineas and be done with it, Isaac," said a
young seaman who appeared to know him. "You'll get your own price
in Amsterdam."
"Well, ten guineas I will gif--two hundred and ten shilling!"
And the old Jew slowly counted out the money from a dirty canvas
bag that he took from his belt. I saw his little black eyes glitter
as he dropped the sparkling gem into the bag and buttoned up his
coat, before handing over the money.
Kinlay pocketed the sovereigns, and then looked round the crowd of
faces about him with an air of extreme satisfaction. At the same
time old Isaac turned to a Dutch sailor who was addressing him in
their own language. By the fox-like look in the Jew's eyes I
understood that he, on his part, was not really discontented with
the bargain he had closed.
But Tom had evidently not disposed of all his valuables, for, just
as Isaac was slipping away, he held him by the sleeve and showed
him a handful of the viking's coins and rings, whereupon the old
Hebrew renewed his bartering, with the result that Tom disposed of
all his remaining store for the sum of two additional pounds.
The crowd was breaking up, and the Jew again slipping away, when I
called out to him, thinking I would tell him that there were some
more of these things in Stromness, and believing for the moment
that Mr.
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