‘As for that,’ quoth he, ‘what with my poor efforts in the New World, and the exertions of my good correspondents at divers courts in Europe, I thank the stars that there is more than one imperial regalia the wearer of which oweth me more, perchance, than he will ever pay. But I am not exacting. When a sensible man deals with kings, if he does not get money, he can always have money’s worth.’ This speech the pearl merchant, or jeweller, delivered with abundance of nods and winks and shrugs, as though there were many meanings in it, out of which I was welcome to take my own. Then he whispered— ‘If you would have gold cheap, know the miners. If you would have pearls cheap, make much of the divers. Deal at the fountain—go to the well-head—the well-head, my son!’ At this he laughed very complacently, and I thought it best to laugh too, although for my life I could not fathom the meaning of the riddling words which the man spoke, and which he accompanied with so many expressive shrugs of the shoulders and grotesque leers, that I was as much puzzled by what I saw, as by what I heard. All at once, however, he broke off, and said, plainly enough— ‘Now we know each other sufficiently for the present. My time for remaining in this oystery part of the world will be over in two or three days, and I presume that you will have no objections to ship in my piragua, and take the chances of the sea to Port Royal?’ Of course I engaged to be ready at a moment’s warning, and we were about to part, when he said suddenly— ‘I have little to do this evening, and I suppose you have less. Come and sup with me. Any one will show you the hut of Peralta, the poor pearl merchant. Come at ten.’ These words he spoke with one of his habitual leers and shrugs. I promised very readily, and then Señor Peralta walked away demurely, counting his beads. I lost no time in communicating to Captain Garbo that I had now an opportunity of shortly getting a passage to one of the English islands. He was very desirous to know how I had managed it; but upon that head I would give him no satisfaction. ‘Well,’ quoth he at last, ‘so be it, Señor Lindsay; but I say, the first time you and your comrades take a Spanish bark, be lenient to my countrymen; be as merciful as you can to their goods and chattels for the sake of old Manuel Garbo, the pearl fisher.’