two or three
isolated cows. All Chuma's former suspicions of De Walden rushed back
upon the chief with accumulated force.

"How do you know that the White Prophet has caused this?" he asked,
taking advantage of the first pause in Maomo's oration.

"My Spirits have told me so," replied Maomo. "They have sent good rains
and healthy seasons to the Bechuanas, and now the White Falsehood-man
has come among them and taught them to worship false and wicked Spirits,
and many of the Bechuanas are beginning to pray to them, and the wicked
Spirits hear them, and answer their evil prayers."

"This is not true," exclaimed Chuma, angrily. "I have forbidden the
White Prophet to offer prayers to his Spirits. I have forbidden any of
my people to hearken to his words. Who is there that would dare to
disobey me."

"The White Prophet treats your words as if they had been the idle
winds," returned the rainmaker, "and he has persuaded many of the people
to disregard them too. He thinks his Spirits are strong enough to
protect him against your anger; and so they would be if it were not that
my Spirits are stronger still; but he does not know that, and presumes
to set you at open defiance."

"Is this true?" cried the chief, whose passion was now strongly excited.
"Does this white man pray, as the rainmaker says? Do any presume to
join in his prayers, if he so offers them?"

His eye was fixed sternly upon Kobo, whom he regarded in a general way
as answerable for De Walden's movements.

Frank and Nick glanced anxiously at their friend, hoping that he would
say something which might allay Chuma's anger; but to their surprise and
dismay Kobo answered--

"It is true, chief I have not ventured to speak for fear that the White
Prophet should do me some hurt; but Maomo will protect me. It is true.
He prays every day in the big hut to his Spirits, and many of the
Bechuanas pray with him, but not Kobo. It is not their fault. The
White Prophet has bewitched them."

"Let some one fetch him hither," said Chuma. "If his prayers have done
this harm, his prayers shall undo it, and that without delay, or it
shall be the worse for him."

"I will go to fetch him," said Kobo. "I know where he is to be met
with, and how to take him when he is off his guard. Let the rainmaker
come with me, and we will bind and bring him hither."

With a smile of gratified malice the wizard accepted the invitation, and
hurried off to De Walden's hut, acco