De Richleau swore softly in the darkness; he had to admit that Rex seemed to be right. “We’d better go back to the last mummy,” he said, “and start all over again.”
With Rex leading this time, they retraced their footsteps, winding in the twine as they went. From time to time he felt along the wall.
“Ugh,” he exclaimed, with a sudden shudder. There was a loud plop, and something moved in the darkness at their feet.
“This place gives me the creeps.”
“What was it?” asked the Duke.
“A man’s head,” said Rex briefly.
“Never mind, we’ve found the last mummy that we passed. Let us start again from here — take my belt.”
The Duke stepped out in a different direction this time, walking slowly forward with arms outstretched like a blind man. They must have covered fifty yards when he came to a sudden halt.
“Found anything?” said Rex.
“More of these filthy monks,” muttered De Richleau furiously. “May they rot in hell. I don’t know if we’re in the chamber or in a passage now.”