"Sometimes one disputes about the sum. It is human, but not important," he remarked. "You will write three lists for the robbers who collect the dues."
Kit said the list obviously did not give the names of all on board, and Don Erminio grinned.
"It is a custom of the country. If one pays all one ought, there is no use in having official friends. I put down the names of people the collectors know."
When the steamer was ready to leave Palma, Kit and Don Erminio went to the agent's office and were shown a pile of bags of silver. There was a bank at Las Palmas, but for the most part the merchants did not use its cheques, and Kit's duty was to carry the money to their creditors. The agent gave him a list.
"You will count the bags before you sign? It is the English habit!" he said.
Kit saw Don Erminio studied him and imagined the agent's voice was scornful. For a moment or two he thought hard, and then took up a pen.
"I have counted," said the agent and Kit signed the document.
He knew he had broken a sound business rule and perhaps had run some risk, but he had begun to see the rules were different in Spain. When he went out he heard the agent say, "_Muy caballero!_"
"This one is not altogether an animal," the captain agreed.
Kit afterwards counted the silver and found the list accurate. On the morning he waited for his boat at Las Palmas, he mused about it, and admitted that perhaps his philosophy did not cover all the complexities of human nature. By and by Macallister joined him, and he asked: "Who is the American with a scar on his cheek I met before we sailed?"
"I'm thinking ye mean Jefferson. A fine man! He was Austin's partner and they transact some business together noo."
"He was _sobrecargo_ and held your post, but he didna bother aboot the freight. Pented pictures, until he and Jefferson salved the _Cumbria_ and I married him to Jacinta Brown."
"_You_ married him to the lady," Kit remarked.
"Weel, I reckon I had something to do with it. For a' that, Don Pancho Brown is cautious, and although he's anither daughter, I doubt if I could do as much again. Ony way, if ye trust old Peter, ye'll no go far wrang."
Kit was frankly puzzled about his new friend. Macallister's hair was going white, but his eyes twinkled humorously, and Kit often found it hard to determine whether he joked or not. All the same, people did trust Macallister. In the meantime, Kit wanted to know about Austin and Jefferson. Macallister told him.