is
hands, and that, whatever his advice might be, it would be followed.
For several minutes he anxiously pondered upon the situation, and then
light and inspiration suddenly came to him. Why should he not again
employ his marvellous hypnotic powers to solve the problem? He had
already done so with perfect success in the case of Sekosini; why not in
that of these others? He could place them under his influence and then
compel them to disclose the innermost secrets of their hearts, thus
determining beyond a doubt exactly how deep their feeling of disloyalty
went and whether it went too deep to be capable of being uprooted and
replaced by one of absolute fidelity in the future. This point
determined, he would be able to advise with absolute confidence, or,
better still, enable the king to decide for himself. Yes, that was
undoubtedly the best thing to be done, and he turned to Lobelalatutu
with a sigh of relief.

"Listen, O Great One!" he said. "You ask for my advice, and now I am
ready to give it. Let the four chiefs, Ingona, Lambati, Moroosi, and
Sekukuni, be brought hither in charge of the guards which you have
placed over them; then will I lay my magic upon them so that they shall
speak only the plain, simple truth, even as Sekosini spoke it just now
to his own condemnation; and thus shall ye be able to judge exactly how
far each man may be trusted in the future. Is my advice good and
acceptable?"

"It is very good, and we will act upon it forthwith," answered
Lobelalatutu; and, clapping his hands to summon a messenger, he gave
instructions that the four chiefs should be at once brought into his
presence. A few minutes later they stood before him, each in charge of
two fully armed guards; and Dick, after allowing them to stand for a
full minute in the oppressive silence that prevailed, in order that
their minds might be suitably attuned to the ordeal which they were to
undergo, suddenly rose to his feet, and, walking up to each man, gazed
steadfastly at him in the peculiar manner which he had already found so
marvellously effective, and at once brought him under hypnotic control.
Then, retiring to the seat which he had just quitted, he powerfully
willed that each man should reply with absolute truth and candour to all
questions asked him, concealing nothing, and laying bare the inmost
secrets of his heart. As he thus concentrated his will upon theirs he
watched each man narrowly, and presently, seeing that