"We'll meet before that," thought Thurstan.
And when Jacob and John were gone on towards Ramsey, [Thurstan] mounted the till-board of his own cart, and followed. Meantime Asher, Stean, and Ross were on their journey, and because they did not cross on the road they came face to face for the first time, all six together, each lugging his kit of clothes behind him, on the deck of the ship that was to take them to Iceland. Then Jacob's pale face grew livid.
"What does this mean?" he cried.
"It means that we can't trust you," said Thurstan.
"None of you?" said Jacob.
"None of us, seemingly," said Thurstan, glancing round into the confused faces about him.
"What! Not your own brother?" said Jacob.
"'Near is my shirt, but nearer is my skin,' as the saying is," said Thurstan, with a sneer.
"'Poor once, poor forever,' as the saying is," mocked Jacob. "Last week you hadn't twenty pound to buy your viol-bass to play in the gallery loft."
Stean laughed at that, and Jacob turned hotly upon him. "And you hadn't thirty pound to buy your yoke of oxen that Ross was sneaking after."