first."

The boys got out of the car and gazed upward at the incredible pile of
masonry. The blocks were huge, weathered by centuries of wind and sand.
Once the whole pyramid had been covered with a smooth facing of stone,
but much of it had been destroyed by thieves trying to find the entrance
to the Pharaoh's tomb.

Rick saw that the top of the lowermost course of blocks was covered with
chips of the weathered stone. He picked up a couple and put them in his
pocket. His rock collection at home could use a genuine piece of
pyramid, and his sister Barby would like one for a paperweight.

"This could be climbed," Scotty said, gazing upward.

"Oh, yes," Hassan affirmed. "Some guides go up to top all the time. Can
show you best way. You want to go?"

"Not now," Scotty said. "Let's look around first. But I'm going to climb
this before we leave."

"And I'll be with you," Rick said.

They reached the corner of the pyramid and Rick sighted along the edge.

The thing that impressed him most was the size of the individual blocks.
Photographs were usually taken at sufficient distance to show the entire
pyramid. At that distance they looked pretty smooth. Close up, it was a
tremendous jigsaw puzzle of blocks that weighed tons.

Rick had expected a considerable number of tourists and guides, but
apparently it was too early. Down by the Sphinx he saw a few Arabs, but
no foreigners were in sight. He was glad they could see at least a part
of Giza before the crowd arrived. "Take us inside, Hassan," he
requested.

"Can do. You follow."

Hassan led the way to the center of the side. High above their heads, he
pointed to a hole. "Up there."

The three climbed through tumbled blocks to the opening and paused to
look around. This was not the opening the Pharaoh had intended. It had
been made by thieves, centuries ago. By boring downward at an angle,
they had intercepted the inner passageways that led to the buried king
and his treasure.

Electric lights were strung along the corridor at intervals, but the
passage was far from bright. Hassan led the way, with Rick following and
Scotty bringing up the rear.

Scotty's voice reverberated in the stone passageway. "I've been thinking
that you ought to be just about overcome with happiness. Two mysteries
on your hands, one detective type and one scientific type, and now
you're walking into the middle of a few million tons of rock. How full
can life get?"

Rick grinned. "And yo