settled in Thurstan's mind that if he
could not get money out of Michael Sunlocks he could at least get
satisfaction.

This was the matter that Thurstan darkly hinted at when Jacob, being
utterly discomfited, had to leave all further schemes to his
brethren. So that day he returned to his rendezvous, met the
plausible person again, and later in the evening sought out his
brothers and said, "Didn't I tell ye to leave to me?"

"What's going doing?" said four voices at once.

"Plucking him down, the upstart, that's what's going doing," said
Thurstan.

Then to five pairs of eager ears it slowly leaked out that a Danish
ship lay in the harbor with a mysterious cargo of great casks,
supposed to contain tallow; that after discharging their contents
these casks were to be filled with shark's oil; that waiting the time
to fill them they were to be stored (as all other warehouses were
full of bonder's stock) in the little cell of detention under the
senate-house; and, finally and most opportunely, that a meeting of
Althing had been summoned on special business for the next night
following, and that Michael Sunlocks was to be present.

The Fairbrothers heard all this with eyes that showed how well they
understood it and keenly gloated over it. And late the same night the
cargo of great casks was unshipped at the jetty, wheeled up to the
senate-house and lodged there, carefully, silently, one by one.
Thurstan helping, a few stragglers looking on, the stammering
doorkeeper, long Jon, not anywhere visible, and no one else in the
little sleepy town a whit the wiser. This being done, Thurstan went
back to his lodging with the content of a soul at ease, saying to
himself, "As I say, if we don't get anything else, we'll get
satisfaction; and if we get what's promised I've a safe place to put
it until the trouble's over and we can clear away, and that's the
little crib under the turret of the cathedral church."

Then the worthy man lay down to sleep.

* * * * *

Before Thurstan was awake next morning Reykjavik was all astir.
It had become known that a special sitting of Althing had been
summoned for that night, and because nothing was known much was said
concerning the business afoot. People gathered in groups where the
snow of the heavy drifts had been banked up at the street corners,
and gossiped and guessed. Such little work as the great winter left
to any man was done in haste or not at all, t