, and by someone in a hurry.

Rick's hand went to the Egyptian cat in his pocket.

"They wanted the cat," he said slowly. "I can't see that anything is
missing. But why is the cat so important?"

He drew it out of his pocket and stared at it. Then his eyes met
Scotty's. His pal shrugged. Neither of them had even the slightest clue.

CHAPTER VI

The Cat Has Kittens

The sun blazed down on Sahara Wells. In the distance the pyramids looked
hazy, and beyond them Cairo was a thin line of green and brown along the
Nile. It was fairly warm in the sun, but a cool wind blew across the
desert and coats were comfortable.

Rick and Scotty sat on a box under the antenna while Hassan squatted and
watched them. For the moment there was nothing for them to do. The
scientists were occupied with calculations, and neither boy could make a
contribution to high mathematics of the kind used in radio astronomy.

Rick was glad of the break. His mind hadn't been on the job, anyway--it
had been on the Egyptian cat. For perhaps the hundredth time he asked,
"Why is the cat valuable? Why would anyone want it enough to stage that
scene at El Mouski and then ransack our room?"

Scotty had no answers, but he had some questions of his own. "What I
want to know is, did the hall porter just happen to step out at the
right moment for the thief? Or is he in the act somehow?"

"It really doesn't make much difference," Rick pointed out. "He might
have been paid to take a walk, but that doesn't mean he knows anything."

"Okay. Try this one. Where is the real Ali Moustafa?"

"Good question. Now I'll ask one. What do we do next?"

"You could cable Bartouki, or even phone him," Scotty replied. "You said
you had thought about it."

Rick hesitated. He tried to put his reluctance into words. "I just don't
think getting in touch with Bartouki is the right thing to do. I don't
know why. Call it a hunch."

Scotty had a deep respect for Rick's hunches. They had a way of turning
out to be right. He remembered a description of a hunch Rick had once
used and repeated it. "A hunch is only a conscious conclusion based on
subconscious data you don't know you have. Isn't that about it?"

Rick looked at him. "What are you driving at?"

"What data are buried in your subconscious that make you distrust
Bartouki?"

"I didn't say I mistrusted him."

Scotty shrugged. "No, but you must, if you don't think it's right to
call him."

Rick had to admit S