“What was on the missing sheet?” asked the captain.
“Just enough to tell that the inscription bore on the tombs of Ras-Ameses,” replied Phalos. “Everybody in Egypt knows that his tomb has never been discovered and that it is supposed to contain fabulous riches. Luckily there was nothing on the stolen paper giving the slightest clue as to where the tomb was to be found.”
“That was a bit of luck, but a precious one,” observed Professor Bruce.
“Yes,” answered Phalos, nodding his head. “But it was easy to jump to the conclusion that the rest of the manuscript told the story that the thieves were so anxious to know. They felt sure that I was in possession of the secret. Hence their persistent attempts to wrest it from me.”
“I see,” said the captain. “Tezra and Nepahak believed that if they could find that tomb they would be rich for life.”
“And I have no doubt they would,” returned their host. “Rich beyond the dreams of avarice.”
“Well, they’ll have a sweet time getting the best of us,” boasted Don.
The captain laughed, then, the look coming into his eyes that more than once had made his enemies quail, he observed:
“You are right, Don. They certainly will.”
“I believe it,” said Phalos, with a courteous inclination of his head. “And my mind is more at rest than it has been for months, now that I have such valuable reinforcements. All we can do now is to keep our eyes open and deal with those rascals as opportunity offers.”