Meigs finally turned to us and demanded the cause of the professor’s downcast air. Quinn revealed the king’s plot and Meigs tore off into an outburst of recrimination, just as I expected he would do. The professor bowed his head meekly to the tempest and even restrained me when I would have put a stop to the broker’s intemperate language. By and by we had our noon meal, and with the attendants who brought it came Olox, seating himself on the ground and watching us as we ate. The high chief was quite amiable, and I began asking him questions relative to our surroundings. He indicated the king’s private apartments in the palace, and pointed out his own residence, as well as the dwelling occupied by the late executioner-general, besides vouchsafing other information of interest. "What is that small, square building under the wing of the palace?" I asked. "That is the imperial exchequer," said he. "Within that building the king keeps the most priceless of all his treasures." "And what is that?" inquired the professor. "The Bolla," was the startling answer. Quinn and I exchanged expressive glances. Here, through a chance remark by Olox, we were suddenly reminded of our duty to the king of Baigol. It was necessary that Olox should not see the startled looks which the professor and I were exchanging, and Mercurial eyes were preternaturally sharp. "Bolla?" I allowed to come limpingly from the talk instrument. "What may that be?" "A stone," answered Olox, and there was suspicion in his manner in spite of my attempt to avert it. "You already know of the Bolla. Your friend requested his majesty to have it brought out, and at that time you said that you had heard of it in the other kingdom." "So we did," I replied, trimming my sails to another breeze, "but what is it? Our information is rather vague." "A stone, as I just said," went on Olox. "It has a beneficial moral and physical effect on whoever touches it." "Where did it come from?" "It has been in Njambai for ages," was the indefinite answer. "How did King Gaddbai get hold of it?" "He borrowed it from the king of Baigol." "And yet you call it one of his treasures! If it was borrowed, Olox, how could it possibly belong here?" "King Gaddbai has taken it," was the calm response. "What he wants he makes his own. If King Golbai had not loaned the stone, there would have been a war." "Was that the right thing for your king to do?" inquired the professor. "Whatever our sovereign does is right." There was no getting around a flat statement of that sort. Evidently the ruler of the country had drilled his subjects thoroughly. "What did you do at the car, Olox?" said the professor. "At the iron house?" The professor nodded. Nods and gestures were well understood by the people of Njambai, for, with four hands, they were well equipped for finger and whole arm movements. "The king’s orders were carried out, at the iron house," finished Olox.