"Christian name?"
"Hendrik," said Desmond unblushingly.
"Wonderful!" exclaimed the other. "Hendrik Van der Wyck; I know him well. I know him well. Old chum of mine. We must celebrate this."
"Unfortunately," said Tiny coolly, "I've made a mistake—haven't I, Colin? It's not Hendrik; it's something else. I've mixed up the Christian names."
A general laugh went up at the shifty-eyed man's discomfiture. He promptly got up, pushed back his chair, and beat a retreat.
"That's the stuff to give 'em!" exclaimed the mining engineer. "You did him that time. Take my advice and give that fellow a wide berth. We get shady customers in every walk in life, and that's one of 'em."
CHAPTER VIII
HELD UP
At length the Monday fixed for the departure of the s.s. Tomboli for Dar-es-Salaam arrived.