Ignoring Garrofat’s questions as to his travels, Bright-Wits summoned two of his guards, who bore between them a closely wrapped square packet; which upon being opened proved to contain the silver disk, of the eighteen pieces now perfectly restored, its golden chain showing no break in all its length.

It was with difficulty that Garrofat choked down his rage at this latest failure of his plans to discomfit or destroy the prince.  Doola, however, pressed forward to welcome Bright-Wits.  Bowing and salaaming like a manikin he pranced across the court; and, as he drew near, Bright-Wits noticed that he carried in his hand a narrow strip of teak wood marked off into squares.  Calling upon Allah and all the prophets to bear witness to his joy at seeing his dear friend Prince Bright-Wits returned safely from his journey, he would have clasped the prince in his arms had not our hero thrust him off.

Disregarding the prince’s scorn, he endeavoured to call his attention to the little teak wood board which the prince had already observed.  “My dear Bright-Wits,” he chattered, “I have come to crave a boon at your hands.  I want the assistance of your clever wits in solving a little puzzle over which I have spent hours without arriving at a solution.  This puzzle is in reality another of the games with which the Great Onalba was fond of amusing himself.  So fond indeed was he of this particular amusement that he had an immense representation of the board on which it is played reproduced in stone here in the palace wall.  As you can see, my dear Prince, the board is marked off into seven squares, three gray, and three black, while the centre square was left white.  In playing the game six counters were used, three black and three white.  In starting play, the three black counters are placed on the black squares, and the three white counters on the gray squares.  The centre square is left vacant.  The game consists in making the two sets of counters change places; moving one at a time.  You can jump as in checkers:  that is, you can go over a counter if there is a blank space behind it.  You must always move forward, however, and a move once made cannot be withdrawn.  Few have ever even seen this one of the games of Onalba, and none but he have ever succeeded in mastering it.  Do you think you could solve this little puzzle, my dear Bright-Wits?  I am dying to find out just how it is done.”

[Illustration:  Doola’s game.]

[Illustration:  Doola’s game.]

With an angry gesture, Bright-Wits was about to consign Doola and his game to oblivion; but at a nod from Ablano he signed for a slave to take the board from Doola.

     The reader may use six of the counters from the other game in
     working out this one of Bright-Wits’ problems.

Azalia appearing at this moment, all else was forgotten by Bright-Wits, who rushed to her side and was soon deeply engaged in telling her of his wonder at the greatness and splendour of her kingdom.