As before, the rain did not last long and soon complaints were heard again. 'Impatient people!' cried the Rain-maker. 'Bring me a young, living baboon, without fault or blemish, and you
shall have rain in plenty.' The people shook their heads as they set off, for well they knew what it was no easy matter to catch a baboon alive. After a long chase, however, they captured a
young baboon and brought it to the Rain-maker. Still, the people waited in vain for the promised rain. 'You need not be surprised that no rain falls,' said the Rain-maker. 'I asked for a baboon
without fault or blemish and what have you brought me? A baboon with a scratch in one ear and some hairs missing from his tail. I will give you one more chance. If you roast and eat a
lion's heart, I shall make the clouds melt above your heads.' After another long chase, a lion was killed and its heart was roasted and shared among the people, but still, the rain did not fall.
Meanwhile, the drought continued. The country lay parched, the animals were starving and the people, as usual, were growing angry and discontented. 'Why to blame me?' said the Rain-maker.
'How can I bring rain when the white man who lives among you does his best to drive it away? Kill him and his family then the rain will come.' The people shook their heads. 'Why should we killthe white man?' said they. 'He treats us well and gives us medicines to cure us when we are ill. If anyone is to be killed, it should be you, for have you not deceived us and made false
promises of great rains?' Thereupon the Rain-maker was seized and brought before the chief men of the tribe to be judged. There it was decided that he should be put to death. Just then
Robert Moffat heard what was about to happen. He hastened to the village court and arrived there just in time to save the Rain-maker from the spears of the angry people. 'If you do not want the man,' said Moffat earnestly, 'send him back to his home. Killing him will not bring rain.' the village chief looked at Moffat in surprise. 'In truth, the ways of the white man are strange,' he said. 'A short time ago this deceiver aked us to kill you. now you bid us let him go free.' In the end,d the chief allowed the Rain-maker to return to his own country; and indeed the men was very
glad to leave behind him the land where all his magic had failed. Stil,l no rain fell and once more the grumblings of the people were heard. this time, however, they blamed Moffat and his family.
'Woe to him who made us send the Rain-maker away,' said some. 'We should have sent the white man away instead, for it is he, without a doubt, who keeps the clouds beyond the mountains.'
One day a crowd of warriors, waving their spears on high, appeared at the door of Moffat's house. Fiercely they told the white man that he must leave at once or else be killed along with his
wife and child. 'You may kill us and burn our house,' declared Moffat very bravely, 'but we shall not move from here.' The people were taken aback by this bold answer. 'Intruth,' said they, as
they went back to the village, 'the white man must have ten lives when he is so fearless of death.' After that Moffat and his family were left in peace to work among the African people. He told them
that they must await with patience the coming of the rain, and that they must not trust the false magic of rain-makers. At last, after seven years of drought and barren fields, the rain did come.
Grass and crops and shrubs began to grow again and water ran in the rivers; but even to-day the country where Moffat worked is one of the driest spots in the world.
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