Part 16 (1/2)

After signaling the barmaid to take a fresh order, Gord eased back in hits chair and waited. The drinks arrived, and a moment later so did the barbarian and the professor. Chert introduced Gord to him, and soon the two were chatting.

”Chert tells me you once attended the university,” Twistbuck said with an Inquiring smile.

The young thief nodded. ”Yes, I did manage to spend some time studying at Ganz, but I didn't stay long enough to be graduated.”

”What courses did you pursue?”

”Some of this, a bit of that,” Gord said impatiently. But the scholar pressed him, so Gord mentioned the more Interesting cla.s.ses. There followed some banter concerning the instructors and relative merits of the various colleges. Eventually the young adventurer managed to steer the conversation onto the subject of betting and games. ”Is it true that you have devised an amusing game, professor?”

”Oh. you must be referring to ”Legs'. It's a silly lit- tk pastime, realty, nothing more. I can't understand why It seems to have piqued anyone's interest, and calling It Twistbuck's Game' is annoyingl It is beneath my dignity and station, after all. to have so foolish a thing bearing one's name.”

”On the contrary! Chert says it sounds quite exciting and very sporting, too,” Gord said ingratiatingly and thn he leaned close to the professor and said in a low tone of voice. ”In fact, my barbarian pal was so intrigued by the game that he was considering placing a wager on his ability to best you at your own creation! I told him it would be an insult for someone in your position to be challenged at your own game by someone with Chert's, ah, shall we say. low standing in the community of scholars? ^ So he dragged me in here to do his dirty work for I him. I'm going along with this just to humor him.” Gord put away the rest of his drink and Issued a self-satisfied belch. Then he loudly prompted the professor, ”Do be so kind as to explain this 'silly little pastime' to me.”

Twistbuck concealed his fury, all the while consoling himself with how much fun it was going to be helping Chert get even with this arrogant rogue. With an airy wave of his hand, Twistbuck explained, ”It is so simple a child can play. Why, I think even V you could catch on in a matter of minutes.” Gord ig--; nored the insult, and the professor continued. ”One simply notes the name or depiction, or both, on the sign above an inn, tavern or drinking house. If legs are implied In the name, then one counts them, modifying the count upward if the depiction on the establishment's sign should show a greater number.” Gord looked puzzled, so Twistbuck further explained, in as condescending a tone as possible. ”Let's suppose there is a tavern called the Fox and Hounds. A fox has four legs and hounds, being plu- 212.

213.

ral, Implies two dogs and eight legs. Therefore, the minimum score of legs for such a place would be twelve. Am I clear so for?”

”Yes, I can see the game scoring clearly now,” the young thief said enthusiastically.

”That's not quite all there is to it. Suppose the sign showed a single hound?”

Before Cord could answer, the fellow went on impatiently. ”It wouldn't matter a whit! 'Hounds' is plural, so that calls for a score of eight legs. However, should it happen that the sign showed three or four hounds, then the score would be twelve or sixteen for the canines, plus the fox, naturally.”

”That's all well and good, sir, but knowing how to count legs doesn't actually tell me how to play your game.”

”It is a matter of alternate occurrence - mere child's play. Two individuals engage in a contest Each alternately counts the legs, if any, on the sign encountered85 during his turn. There Is usually a time or distance limitation so that the game lasts a reasonable period and has a conclusion. Of course, the player with the highest leg count wins.” Twlstbuck paused to finish his drink, and Cord immediately or-dered a fresh one to replace it. Thanking him for his generous consideration, the professor decided that an example of the game might serve to Ill.u.s.trate the whole thing clearly and completely.

”Chert and I might, for instance, decide to play a game.” Twlstbuck paused, looked at Chert for effect, and shook his head in disbelief. The barbarian cast him a menacing look, and Gord found the little interlude amusing and made no attempt to hide his reaction. The professor continued. ”So anyway, we decide that we will walk outside, move randomly, and alternately count the legs which appear on signs along our path. Each of us gets one sign, legs 214.

or not appearing on it, the occurrence of a sign ending one player's turn and beginning the other's.

”Suppose we walk out the door now. and Chert is given the first sign encountered after leaving, but I choose what direction we take. Now, after an inn. tavern, or drinking establishment is encountered, legs are counted and scored, and a running total maintained on paper. The person awaiting his turn can select the next direction of the route of the game, as long as It does not go back over territory already covered. After some set limit - say an hour's time, five signs each, or whatever - the total scores are compared. The person having the higher total of legs wins. Simple. To add zest, the loser might have to buy drinks or perhaps pay a small sum for each leg his opponent had counted above his lesser score.”

Despite the somewhat convoluted explanation, Gord grasped the game easily. ”What a delightful pastime Indeed!” he said with admiration oozing from his voice. ”Do you ever actually wager on the play?”

”Certainly,” Twistbuck replied. ”Didn't your gigantic comrade here tell you that?

However, I don't waste my time playing for small stakes.”

Gord could hardly conceal his enthusiasm. ”Let's play a game now! It would be quite exciting to learn from the one who Invented it, you know - quite a feather In my cap!”

”Well. . .”

”Of course I'd be willing to place a small stake on each leg. Would a zee be too little for a man of your talents?”

The professor slowly nodded. ”Too little by far. A common Is the least I'd be Interested in wagering.”

”A man after my own heart! If you're going to wager, you might as well make the stakes worth win- 215.

ning. What say you to a silver n.o.ble a leg, then?” Gord asked, br.i.m.m.i.n.g with uncontained eagerness.

”Done, young man. It is nearing the witching hour even now, and I must repair to my chambers for study and rest Tomorrow is a day of cla.s.swork. you know. May I suggest that we play at noon on Starday?”

Gord was delighted at the stakes and the time, for the delay would enable him to do some scouting beforehand. That seems satisfactory, although I'd hoped to play sooner.” he told the professor, allowing false disappointment to enter his voice as he did so. ”No matter, I defer to your wishes, sir. May I select the starting point?”

”Of course, my boy,” Twistbuck agreed heartily, ”but it must be somewhere within the southern half of the city, and it must also be at an intersection with three or more possible directions to choose from.”

That sounded reasonable. ”I agree,” Gord said, his mind racing. ”But who shall go first? And what length of game will we play?”

Twistbuck considered the questions for a moment, then suggested. ”You take the first sign, and we'll just alternate back and forth from then on. In the case of two signs on either side of the route, the one on the left shall be taken first, the one on the right considered second. As you shall have first count, you will also pick what direction we go from the starting intersection. I'll pick the next direction, and so forth. Alternating choice prevents any pre-selection of a route - that would be86 cheating, now, wouldn't it? Signs off the direct route are not allowed as proper for either contestant, even if the sign is clearly visible from the artery being traveled. That is all, save for us to set the limit on play.”

”Time could allow one or the other player to 216.

gain an advantage by having one or more sign than the other fellow, as would distance traveled. I suggest that we each be allowed a set number of signs,” Gord said thoughtfully.

”Of course! Now do be so good as to set the number, and I'll bid you good night!”

Gord arose as Twistbuck did, shook his hand, and said, ”A n.o.ble a leg to the winner, game to commence on Starday noon, each counting a dozen signs before total score wins.”

”Indeed, and I look forward with pleasure to the amus.e.m.e.nt my little game will provide to such a bright, enterprising fellow as yourself. Good rest to you all!” So saying, the don took his leave, and Gord and Chert left the tavern soon thereafter.

Chert was sound asleep when Gord went out the next morning. He had much to accomplish in the little more than twenty-four hours left before the game would begin. The young thief was suspicious. Twistbuck seemed too casual about the stakes Involved, too willing to let Gord determine the details of the arrangement. Gord was going to carefully go over the area he would choose for the game to start in.

familiarize himself with the signs around it. and be fully prepared when they began.

Perhaps this was unfair, but the verbal rules set down by the game's creator held no provisions for or against such conduct. Planning and preparation were smart steps, and Twistbuck himself had set the day and time. If that gave Gord an edge, it would be foolish not to utilize It! What worried him most was the possibility of some variation of the rules that the professor had neglected to mention.

”Where have you been?” Chert asked as his comrade returned to their domicile near sundown.

”Taking care of some business and walking a bit. Nothing important,” Gord replied carelessly.

217.

Turning away to hide his smite, the giant hillman asked Gord if he should fix something for them to eat ”No, let's go out for a bite - my treat. How about the Toad again?”

”Sure pal, whatever you say If you're buying, but the food there isn't very good.

What about- ”

”Hey! I'm buying, so we go where I choose!”

”Okay, if it means that much to you. I Just thought you might like a good meal,”

Chert wasn't about to argue when the ride was free.

”Well, in all honesty, I'm hoping your professor friend will be there. I need to ask a couple of questions about our game tomorrow.”

”Oh,” said Chert, dropping the subject.