he only weak spot about it was a
fear lest Good's almanack might be incorrect. If we made a false
prophecy on such a subject, our prestige would be gone for ever, and so
would Ignosi's chance of the throne of the Kukuanas.

"Suppose that the almanack is wrong," suggested Sir Henry to Good, who
was busily employed in working out something on a blank page of the
book.

"I see no reason to suppose anything of the sort," was his answer.
"Eclipses always come up to time; at least that is my experience of
them, and it especially states that this one will be visible in South
Africa. I have worked out the reckonings as well as I can, without
knowing our exact position; and I make out that the eclipse should
begin here about ten o'clock tomorrow night, and last till half-past
twelve. For an hour and a half or so there should be almost total
darkness."

"Well," said Sir Henry, "I suppose we had better risk it."

I acquiesced, though doubtfully, for eclipses are queer cattle to deal
with--it might be a cloudy night, for instance, or our dates might be
wrong--and sent Umbopa to summon the chiefs back. Presently they came,
and I addressed them thus--

"Great men of the Kukuanas, and thou, Infadoos, listen. We love not to
show our powers, for to do so is to interfere with the course of
nature, and to plunge the world into fear and confusion. But since this
matter is a great one, and as we are angered against the king because
of the slaughter we have seen, and because of the act of the _Isanusi_
Gagool, who would have put our friend Ignosi to death, we have
determined to break a rule, and to give such a sign as all men may see.
Come hither"; and I led them to the door of the hut and pointed to the
red ball of the moon. "What see ye there?"

"We see the sinking moon," answered the spokesman of the party.

"It is so. Now tell me, can any mortal man put out that moon before her
hour of setting, and bring the curtain of black night down upon the
land?"

The chief laughed a little at the question. "No, my lord, that no man
can do. The moon is stronger than man who looks on her, nor can she
vary in her courses."

"Ye say so. Yet I tell you that to-morrow night, about two hours before
midnight, we will cause the moon to be eaten up for a space of an hour
and half an hour. Yes, deep darkness shall cover the earth, and it
shall be for a sign that Ignosi is indeed king of the Kukuanas. If we
do this thing, will ye be satisfied?"