rawl through this hole along the passage till she
should reach another stairway. Mrs. Peterkin paused. Could she trust
these men? Was not this a snare to entice her into one of these narrow
passages? Agamemnon was far behind. Could Mr. Peterkin have ventured
into this treacherous place?

At this moment a head appeared through the opening above, followed by a
body. It was that of one of the native guides. Voices were heard coming
through the passage: one voice had a twang to it that surely Mrs.
Peterkin had heard before. Another head appeared now, bound with a blue
veil, while the eyes were hidden by green goggles. Yet Mrs. Peterkin
could not be mistaken,--it was--yes, it was the head of Elizabeth Eliza!

It seemed as though that were all, it was so difficult to bring forward
any more of her. Mrs. Peterkin was screaming from below, asking if it
were indeed Elizabeth Eliza, while excitement at recognizing her mother
made it more difficult for Elizabeth Eliza to extricate herself. But
travellers below and behind urged her on, and with the assistance of the
guides, she pushed forward and almost fell into the arms of her mother.
Mrs. Peterkin was wild with joy as Agamemnon and his brother joined
them.

"But Mr. Peterkin!" at last exclaimed their mother. "Did you see
anything of your father?"

"He is behind," said Elizabeth Eliza. "I was looking for the body of
Chufu, the founder of the pyramid,--for I have longed to be the
discoverer of his mummy,--and I found instead--my father!"

Mrs. Peterkin looked up, and at that moment saw Mr. Peterkin emerging
from the passage above. He was carefully planting one foot on the
shoulder of a stalwart Nubian guide. He was very red in the face, from
recent exertion, but he was indeed Mr. Peterkin. On hearing the cry of
Mrs. Peterkin, he tottered, and would have fallen but for the support of
the faithful guide.

The narrow place was scarcely large enough to hold their joy. Mrs.
Peterkin was ready to faint again with her great excitement. She wanted
to know what had become of the other little boys, and if Mr. Peterkin
had heard from Solomon John. But the small space was becoming more and
more crowded. The dragomans from the different parties with which the
Peterkins were connected came to announce their several luncheons, and
insisted upon their leaving the pyramid.

Mrs. Peterkin's dragoman wanted her to go on directly to the Sphinx, and
she still clung to the belief that only then