"Ah, an Englishman," he said, coming up to Guy and holding out his hand, an action which Guy professed not to see.
"You are going to Berbera, perhaps," he went on, nowise discomfited by the rebuff.
"No," said Guy shortly. "To Zaila."
"Ah, yes, Zaila! You have friends there, perhaps? I, too, am acquainted. I know very well Sir Arthur Ashby, the governor at Zaila."
His keen eyes scanned Guy's face closely, and noted the faint gleam of surprise at this information.
But Guy was too clever to be thrown off his guard.
"Yes," he said. "I know some people here. I have not the pleasure of Sir Arthur's acquaintance."
He would have turned away at this point, but the man pulled a card from his pocket and presented it to him. Guy glanced it over with interest:
C. Manuel Torres,
Trader at Aden and Berbera.
"A vile Portuguese slave-hunter," he thought to himself.