As two golden armies with their war elephants plunge into battle, several men  silently watch hidden in the jungle.

       We had good reason to be hidden.  If anyone had seen us, they would have known at once we were up to no good. Leather pants and boots were a poor choice for jungle heat. Sleeveless shirts invited blood-sucking jungle bugs.

       Nor would anyone take us for villagers who had come to watch the battle. Although Tarquin Rafi's men all carried different weapons and came from different nations, they looked exactly like what they were: warriors. And, as warriors, they followed their leader without question. Even on this fool's errand. 
      In spite of the scimitar at my side, not even the simplest villager would mistake me for a fighting man.  I have never had any enthusiasm for fighting. Outwitting, yes, but thrashing about waving weapons. Absolutely not!

      On the other hand, I do not look like what I am, either.  I should wear a long beard, or a cone-shaped hat, or some sort of flowing robe as a token of my profession.

       But I do not like the messiness of long beards, especially at meal time. Cone-shaped hats are forever tumbling off one's head.   Robes always get in the way if you're in a hurry. So I don�t wear them, either.  

       Besides, if I wore a long beard and a cone-shaped hat and a long robe, everyone would know I was a wizard. I prefer to surprise people . . .

       I will admit that Tarquin Rafi knew how to balance courage with caution.  He also knew how to balance comradeship with command. His men would fight for him to the death. But at times, Tarquin Rafi could be a deceitful man. This was one of those times. He had not told his men or even his own brother the real, the reckless, the ridiculous reason for our morning raid.  

       They all thought we were after treasure, the fabulous rubies of Jahaipur.  We were always after treasure.  But in this case, only I knew what the real treasure was.  I knew because I have traveled the world with Tarquin Rafi.   I knew because I am Sayed the Wizard.

      The Prince of Jahaipur has carelessly left only a pair of guards at the tents, but as Tarquin Rafi and his men sneak in, they see that there is also a red-robed wizard there.   However, he is listening to the sounds of battle, so into the tent they go.

       The rubies were easy to find.  A small jewel chest sat on a low round table beside the couch. Any fool could see it was a jewel chest, although it did not even have a trick lock. Because he was a cautious man, Tarquin Rafi opened the chest to make sure. Indeed, the little chest was full to the brim with the deep red fire of the rubies of Jahaipur. . . . .

     I lingered inside the tent because Tarquin Rafi lingered. And Tarquin Rafi lingered because he did not yet have the real treasure. In spite of all my wizardly warnings, the fool would not leave until he found it.

       I had a good idea where it was, but I was not going to tell. Nor did he ask, because he knew I would not tell.

       Instead, he surveyed the tent with his own eye. Being a clever young fellow, he soon saw the couch strewn about with huge silk pillows, all save one. One gold tasseled pillow stood tidily against an empty scimitar rack.  

       Drat!  He had found it.  As young people sometimes are, he was too clever for his own good!

     Tarquin Rafi finds the golden key, his real reason for the raid, and he and Sayed follow the men back into the jungle.

        Tarquin Rafi winked at me and patted his shirt where he had hidden the key. "A worthy venture. The rubies will buy many months of provisions."

       "What you have just stolen will provide many years of trouble," I grumbled.

       Tarquin Rafi laughed. "Spare me, good friend, until we are safe back on our ships. Then I'll listen again to the dangers," his voice dropped to a whisper, "of the golden keys."

      "Listen and not hear!" I exclaimed. "You'll listen as the cuckoo--"   Whatever else I intended to say was drowned out by shouting from the back of the line. I should have saved my sermons for later. I should have paid more attention to our escape.   I should have expected that we would not carry off our treasure so easily.

        We should not have slowed down.

       This time I was the one who had been careless.

     They are under attack by aerial sharks, fearsome creatures, no doubt sent by the wizard of the red robe.