private static char mul (int a, char b) {
		int inda = (a < 0) ? (a + 256) : a;
		int indb = (b < 0) ? (b + 256) : b;

		if ( (a != 0) && (b != 0) ) {
		    int index = (LogTable[inda] + LogTable[indb]);
		    char val = (char)(AlogTable[ index % 255 ] );
		    return val;
		}
		else 
		    return 0;
    } // mul