I was going to a place with a secret, and I meant to find it out.

The natives round Blaauwildebeestefontein were queer, and diamonds were suspected somewhere in the neighbourhood.
Henriques had something to do with the place, and so had the Rev.John Laputa, about whom I knew one strange thing.

So did Tam by the way, but he had not identified his former pursuer, and I had told him nothing.

I was leaving two men behind me, Colles at Durban and Aitken at Lourenco Marques, who would help me if trouble came.

Things were shaping well for some kind of adventure.
The talk with Aitken had given Tam an inkling of my thoughts.