He was paying for him the sales price that had tempted him.
For, as one has well said: the horse abases the base, ennobles the noble.
Likewise the dog.

The theft of a dog to sell for a price had been the abasement worked by Michael on Dag Daughtry.

To pay the price out of sheer heart-love that could recognize no price too great to pay, had been the ennoblement of Dag Daughtry which Michael had worked.

And as the launch chug-chugged across the quiet harbour under the southern stars, Dag Daughtry would have risked and tossed his life into the bargain in a battle to continue to have and to hold the dog he had originally conceived of as being interchangeable for so many dozens of beer.
* * * * * The _Mary Turner_, towed out by a tug, sailed shortly after daybreak, and Daughtry, Kwaque, and Michael looked their last for ever on Sydney Harbour.
"Once again these old eyes have seen this fair haven," the Ancient Mariner, beside them gazing, babbled; and Daughtry could not help but notice the way the wheat-farmer and the pawnbroker pricked their ears to listen and glanced each to the other with scant eyes.

"It was in '52, in 1852, on such a day as this, all drinking and singing along the decks, we cleared from Sydney in the _Wide Awake_.