y the inner width of a link multiplied by
the number of links and added to twice the thickness of the iron gives
the exact length. It will be noticed that every link put on the chain
loses a length equal to twice the thickness of the iron.

34.--_The Noble Demoiselle._

[Illustration]

"Some here have asked me," continued Sir Hugh, "how they may find the
cell in the Dungeon of the Death's-head wherein the noble maiden was
cast. Beshrew me! but 'tis easy withal when you do but know how to do it.
In attempting to pass through every door once, and never more, you must
take heed that every cell hath two doors or four, which be even numbers,
except two cells, which have but three. Now, certes, you cannot go in and
out of any place, passing through all the doors once and no more, if the
number of doors be an odd number. But as there be but two such odd cells,
yet may we, by beginning at the one and ending at the other, so make our
journey in many ways with success. I pray you, albeit, to mark that only
one of these odd cells lieth on the outside of the dungeon, so we must
perforce start therefrom. Marry, then, my masters, the noble demoiselle
must needs have been wasting in the other."

The drawing will make this quite clear to the reader. The two "odd cells"
are indicated by the stars, and one of the many routes that will solve
the puzzle is shown by the dotted line. It is perfectly certain that you
must start at the lower star and end at the upper one; therefore the cell
with the star situated over the left eye must be the one sought.

35.--_The Archery Butt._

[Illustration]

"It hath been said that the proof of a pudding is ever in the eating
thereof, and by the teeth of Saint George I know no better way of showing
how this placing of the figures may be done than by the doing of it.
Therefore have I in suchwise written the numbers that they do add up to
twenty and three in all the twelve lines of three that are upon the
butt."

I think it well here to supplement the solution of De Fortibus with a few
remarks of my own. The nineteen numbers may be so arranged that the lines
will add up to any number we may choose to select from 22 to 38
inclusive, excepting 30. In some cases there are several different
solutions, but in the case of 23 there are only two. I give one of these.
To obtain the second solution exchange respectively 7, 10, 5, 8, 9, in
the illustration, with 13, 4, 17, 2, 15. Also exchange 18