“I won’t refuse a small slice, Sam; but for the most I’m after is the fun. This is the biggest deal I ever heard of, and it promises a lot of sport before you’re through with it. Let me in, will you?” he added, pleadingly.
“I’m willing, Archie. But it’s likely we can’t come to terms with the Professor. He don’t want to divvy fair, you see.”
The little man was now walking disconsolately about the deck. Apparently he was in a state of deep dejection.
I went with Archie to the quay, where he paid the import duties on his father’s wares and arranged to have them forwarded by the railway to Luxor, where they were consigned to himself.
“You see, we don’t know these Greek and Syrian merchants,” he explained, “and we can’t trust dealers in humbug goods. That’s why father wanted me to come along. I’m to collect for the stuff when I deliver it, and also take orders for anything more they want us to manufacture.”
“But don’t you intend to travel with the goods?” I asked.
“No. They can wait at Luxor for me until we’ve decided what to do about the Professor’s treasure. According to his story it lies buried only a few miles from Luxor, so I may be able to attend to both errands at the same time.”
Ah; if we only knew what this plan was destined to cost us!
CHAPTER VII.
A GREAT UNDERTAKING.
As Archie and I returned along the quay from the custom house, to regain our boat, I noticed standing upon the edge of the dock the solitary but impressive figure of an Arab.