“Eh? Oh, no, not at all, not in the least. He was a Pharaoh of the first Theban period. But that doesn't matter either; and he hasn't anything to do with this story. We had learned of the existence of this group of tombs, or that they had existed at one time, and of their approximate location, from an inscription dug up by myself at—”
The door of the light keeper's cottage swung open with a bang. A voice roared across the night.
“Lulie!” shouted Captain Jethro. “Lulie!”
The Bangs' story broke off in the middle. Its narrator and his young companion turned startled faces toward the sound.
“Lulie!” bellowed Captain Jeth, again. “Lulie!”
Lulie answered. “Why, yes, father,” she said. “I am right here, at the gate. Why are you shouting so? What is the matter?”
The captain seemed much surprised. He raised a hand to shield his eyes from the lamplight in the room behind him.
“Hey?” he queried. “Where be you? You ain't right there at the gate, are you?”
“Why, yes, of course I am.”
“Humph!...” Then, with renewed suspicion, “Who's that with you?”