“Do you think they will rush us again, Uncle Frank?” asked Don, as he reloaded.
“Not likely; though they may,” was the reply. “And they may have reinforcements in the vicinity who will be attracted by the sound of the shooting. Hark! What’s that?”
There was the sound of a bugle in the distance, and a few minutes later a squad of Egyptian cavalry galloped up, a smart looking officer riding at their head.
At the first bugle note, the unwounded tribesmen mounted their camels and scurried away as fast as their beasts could carry them.
The young officer swung himself from the saddle and looked about at the wounded men, who gave ample evidence that a skirmish had occurred.
The Americans, accompanied by Phalos, advanced to meet him. A short colloquy followed, and the situation was cleared up satisfactorily. The squad was a Government patrol sent out to subdue lawless bands that had of late been giving much trouble.
“You’ve done some of our work for us,” the officer declared, as he supervised the work of gathering up the bandits. None had been killed, though some of the wounds were painful.
If looks could have killed, the party would certainly have perished beneath the baleful glances cast at them by Tezra and Nepahak, who, shortly afterward, were sentenced to ten years at hard labor.
The offer of the young officer to escort the exploring party to Luxor was accepted, and they reached the city with their precious freight in safety. The dahabiyeh of Phalos conveyed them to Cairo, and there they made their report to the Egyptian Government, which immediately set a guard about the tomb of Ras-Ameses.
The announcement of the discovery to the world created a tremendous sensation, and honors were showered without stint on the discoverers. The usual arrangement was made, whereby a certain share of the treasures went to the Government and the rest was equally divided among the members of the party, making every one of them rich beyond their dreams.