“I’ll send up for him, and he’ll be here in half an hour or so. I’ll see to your horse and start Zingela off at once. But—first of all have a drink. We won’t get dinner for half an hour yet.”
“Thanks, I will,” laughed the new arrival. “Thirsty country this, eh, Mr —?”
“Ancram,” supplied that worthy. “Thirsty? I believe you. We were talking of that very thing just before you came.”
Two things had struck Ancram—the frank cordiality that seemed to be the predominant note among these dwellers in the wilderness, and that his own opinion of Peters was by no means shared by others. There he had made a faux pas. But he did not intend to take Lamont at his word, all the same; wherefore it was just as well that this new arrival had appeared on the scene when he had.
“What’ll you have, Driffield?” said Lamont, as the four sat down to table a little later—Peters having arrived. “’Tisn’t Hobson’s choice this time—it’s guinea-fowl or goat ribs.”
“The last. They look young. I’ll get enough game on patrol.”
“Going to look in at Zwabeka’s kraal, Driffield?” said Peters presently.
“If I do it’ll be on the way back. I’ve got to meet Ames to-morrow evening at the Umgwane Drift, and settle which the devil of us Tolozi is under. Half his people are in Sikumbutana. Ames is quite welcome to him for me.”
“Nice fellow, Ames,” said Peters.
“Rather. One of the best we’ve got, and one of the smartest. He’s got a ticklish district, too, with the whole of Madula’s and half Zazwe’s people in it. Hard luck to saddle him with Tolozi into the bargain. Yes, Ames is a ripping good chap. Been long in this country, Mr Ancram?”