to swallow any of the disks; your stomach might find them hard to
digest."

"Thrust not thy ugly nose into my affairs," cried the prince, turning
savagely upon Doola. "And look to it that you find not in your own
stomach two hands' breadth of my dagger without your being put to the
trouble of swallowing it or of digesting it thereafter." Then at a sign
from Ablano he retired from the room.

During the next week, Bright-Wits spent much of his time on the solution
of this latest problem. While the prince was thus engaged, Ablano and
Azalia held many consultations in the little pavilion under the trees.
More like father and child they seemed. A secret understanding appeared
to exist between them; which caused Bright-Wits many pangs of jealousy;
despite the respect and affection in which he held his master the Holy
Brahman. He was certain that they were concealing something from him.
Yet when he tried to discover the mystery in their actions Azalia would
but laugh at him; while Ablano gently chided his impatience, saying unto
him, "All things are as Allah hath ordered. It is but for us to await
his meaning without impatience. Yet be thou not cast down, for the end
draweth nigh." Put off, but far from satisfied, Bright-Wits must needs
be content.

Now all this time Garrofat and Doola were busy with a little scheme of
their own that promised to remove one, and perhaps both, of these
meddlesome strangers from the kingdom.

When the seventh day again came round, Bright-Wits repaired to the
Audience Chamber and was considerably puzzled to find several hundred
soldiers drawn up in the court. Among them he discerned some of his own