said the Child of Kings, 'you must begin by helping us to
destroy the idol of the Fung. Are there no means by which this can be
done?'

"'There are means,' I replied, and I tried to explain to her the
properties of dynamite and of other more powerful explosives.

"'Go to your own land,' she exclaimed eagerly, 'and return with that
stuff and two or three who can manage it, and I swear to them all the
wealth of Mur. Thus only can you win my help to save your son.'"

"Well, what was the end?" asked Captain Orme.

"This: They gave me some gold and an escort with camels which were
literally lowered down a secret path in the mountains so as to avoid the
Fung, who ring them in and of whom they are terribly afraid. With these
people I crossed the desert to Assouan in safety, a journey of many
weeks, where I left them encamped about sixteen days ago, bidding them
await my return. I arrived in England this morning, and as soon as I
could ascertain that you still lived, and your address, from a book of
reference called _Who's Who_, which they gave me in the hotel, I came on
here."

"Why did you come to me? What do you want me to do?" asked the
Professor.

"I came to you, Higgs, because I know how deeply you are interested
in anything antiquarian, and because I wished to give you the first
opportunity, not only of winning wealth, but also of becoming famous as
the discoverer of the most wonderful relics of antiquity that are left
in the world."

"With a very good chance of getting my throat cut thrown in," grumbled
Higgs.

"As to what I want you to do," I went on, "I want you to find someone
who understands explosives, and will undertake the business of blowing
up the Fung idol."

"Well, that's easy enough, anyhow," said the Professor, pointing to
Captain Orme with the bowl of his pipe, and adding, "he is an engineer
by education, a soldier and a very fair chemist; also he knows Arabic
and was brought up in Egypt as a boy--just the man for the job if he
will go."

I reflected a moment, then, obeying some sort of instinct, looked up and
asked:

"Will you, Captain Orme, if terms can be arranged?"

"Yesterday," he replied, colouring a little, "I should have answered,
'Certainly not.' To-day I answer that I am prepared to consider the
matter--that is, if Higgs will go too, and you can enlighten me on
certain points. But I warn you that I am only an amateur in the three
trades that the Professor has mentioned, though,