terrible! We can never recover it! Surely by now the museum curator has
it."

Rick shook his head. "I don't think so. And I'm sure we can recover it."

"But how? Guards swarm everywhere. They are alert, because there was a
big robbery not long ago. Everyone is watched. Everyone! I don't
understand even how you could hide it without being seen."

"We have our own methods," Rick assured him. "And we'll get the cat
back. If you will come here tomorrow night it will be waiting for you."

Moustafa rose and walked to the door. He looked at the boys, and above
the luxuriant mustache, dark eyes blazed at them. "It had better be," he
said flatly. "If you are caught by the museum guards you had better say
it was a joke. As Americans, you may be believed. Do not connect me, or
my brothers, or Bartouki with this thing! But get that cat! I don't care
how. But get it!"

He slammed the door behind him.

Rick looked at Scotty. "Get it, or else?"

"Or else," Scotty confirmed. "He didn't say it, but he meant it."

Rick put his thoughts into words. "No one gets that excited over a
plastic model. The cat is important for some other reason. But what?"

"I'll ask a different question for a change. Who would you rather have
on your trail, Moustafa or Youssef?"

Rick stared at his pal for a long moment while he digested the
implications of the question. "I see what you mean," he said finally.
"There are two groups after the cat. Right? I've wondered about that
myself, since we were rescued by Kemel this morning. So we're caught
between a pair of tough characters, like eggs in the jaws of a vise."

Scotty finished grimly, "And right now the jaws are closing. Fast."

A thought struck Rick and he grinned. "How about scrambled eggs for New
Year's Eve dinner?"

"What?"

"It's New Year's Eve."

Scotty reached in his pocket and found a pocket calendar. He consulted
it. "Hey, you're not kidding!"

"Nope. So, as the year closes, where are we? Caught between Kemel and
Youssef."

"Maybe next year will bring better things," Scotty said with a grin.

"Uhuh. But for whom?"

"That," Scotty said, "remains to be seen!"

CHAPTER XIII

The Space Mystery

There was an air of excitement at the project when the boys arrived
there the following morning. Everyone was busy on equipment, or studying
Sanborn tracings. Winston and Kerama were working a slide rule while
Farid read figures.

The boys waited until Winston gave a numbe