"Haven't I just said I'll not touch it?" cried Aronsen again in the gale. "I can do better than that!"
Axel thought if that was so, 'twould be easy to find a buyer; but Aronsen laughed scornfully at the idea—there was nobody there in the wilds had money to buy him out.
"Not here in the wilds, maybe, but elsewhere."
"Here's naught but filth and poverty," said Aron bitterly.
"Why, that's as it may be," said Axel in some offence. "But Isak up at
Sellanraa he could buy you out any day."
"Don't believe it," said Aronsen.
"'Tis all one to me what you believe," said Axel, and turned to go.
Aronsen called after him: "Hi, wait a bit! What's that you say—Isak might take the place, was that what you said?"
"Ay," said Axel, "if 'twas only the money. He's means enough to buy up five of your Storborg and all!"
Aronsen had gone round keeping wide of Sellanraa on his way up, taking care not to be seen; but, going back, he called in and had a talk with Isak. But Isak only shook his head and said nay, 'twas a matter he'd never thought of, and didn't care to.