"Piet Van der Wyck of Mafeking?" asked Sinclair in astonishment.
"Piet Van der Wyck, of Erasmus Farm, near Mafeking," corrected the old man courteously. "I do not know you, but that is a matter that can soon be put right."
"Of course," agreed Colin heartily. He realised that there was a mistake somewhere, and he was too considerate to tell the old man bluntly that he was not the person that Colonel Narfield had invited to Kilembonga.
He introduced Tiny and himself to the old farmer, and suggested that they should help him to finish grooming the horse.
"No, no," was the decided reply. "I have ridden Zwart Hans for fifteen years, and have always attended to him myself. You are the sons of Colonel Narfield?"
Colin hastened to correct the false impression.
"Is that so?" asked the farmer with a trace of disappointment. "From the Colonel's kind letter of invitation I understood that Colin and Tiny were his children."
"You have had a long journey," remarked Tiny.
"Ah, yes; five days on the train. I rode most of the way in the horse-box so as to keep Zwart Hans company. Then there was the horrible voyage for me who had never before been in a ship; and I am sixty-nine come Christmas. True, it was on a large lake, but we were long out of sight of land until we neared Ujiji. Allemachte! And to think I have to return that way!"
"It was a long journey," agreed Sinclair.