Two men in shirts and trousers were playing quoits as I came up. I didn't know either of them by sight. "Good day," said one of them, knocking off his play, and coming up. "Off-saddle won't you? Dashed hot, isn't it?" "Thanks. I'm Glanton, from Isipanga," I said in answer to his look of enquiry. "Oh. Glad to know you, Glanton. I'm Kendrew, from nowhere in particular, at least not just now, price of transport being too _sleg_ for anything." "Oh, you ride transport then? How many waggons?" "Three in good times--one in bad; none in worse--as in the present case. This is Sergeant Simcox, of the N.M.P.," introducing the other man, whom I noticed wore uniform trousers and boots. "He's been helping me to look for my poor old uncle, you know." "Oh, Hensley was your uncle, was he?" "Rather. But I'm next-of-kin--so if he's not found I take. See?" with a comprehensive wink and jerk of the head which took in the surroundings. I couldn't help laughing at his coolness. He was a tall, rather good-looking young fellow, all wire and whipcord, with a chronically whimsical expression. The police sergeant was a hard bitten looking customer, typical of his line in life. "Now what do you think of the affair?" I said. "Did you know Hensley well?" "Hanged if I did. He didn't like me. Did you?" "Not very. I used to ride over and look him up now and again. But I can't imagine him doing anything mysterious. In fact I should say he'd be the last man in the world to do it." "_Ja_. I don't know what to think of it. I've been running the place since I heard of the affair--luckily I wasn't on the road just then so was able to. You'll stop and have some scoff of course--you too, sergeant?" "Wish I could," said the latter, "but it's against rules. Must get back to my camp." "Hang rules. Who's to know? Glanton here won't split." He was right, wherefore I forbear to say whether Sergeant Simcox made the third at that festive board or not. We talked of trade and transport-riding and frontier matters generally, but surprisingly little of the matter that had brought me there. In fact Kendrew rather seemed to shirk the subject; not in any sort of suspicious manner let me explain, but rather as if he thought the whole thing a bore, and a very great one at that. "You see, Glanton," he explained, presumably detecting a surprised look on my face, called there by the exceedingly light way in which he was taking things. "You see it isn't as if we had had a lot to do with each other. Of course I don't for a moment hope that the poor old boy has come to grief, in fact I can't help feeling that he may turn up any moment and want to know what the devil I've taken up my quarters at his place for, in this free and easy way."