here be
found. We searched everywhere around, and dug up the sand which had
piled around us; but in vain. We did not know what to do, for Trelawny
had his heart set on taking home that mummy. We waited a whole day in
hopes that the Bedouins, who had fled, would return; we had a blind
hope that they might have in some way removed the mummy from the cart,
and would restore it. That night, just before dawn, Mr. Trelawny woke
me up and whispered in my ear:

"'We must go back to the tomb in the Valley of the Sorcerer. Show no
hesitation in the morning when I give the orders! If you ask any
questions as to where we are going it will create suspicion, and will
defeat our purpose."

"'All right!" I answered. "But why shall we go there?' His answer
seemed to thrill through me as though it had struck some chord ready
tuned within:

"'We shall find the mummy there! I am sure of it!' Then anticipating
doubt or argument he added:

"'Wait, and you shall see!' and he sank back into his blanket again.

"The Arabs were surprised when we retraced our steps; and some of them
were not satisfied. There was a good deal of friction, and there were
several desertions; so that it was with a diminished following that we
took our way eastward again. At first the Sheik did not manifest any
curiosity as to our definite destination; but when it became apparent
that we were again making for the Valley of the Sorcerer, he too showed
concern. This grew as we drew near; till finally at the entrance of
the valley he halted and refused to go further. He said he would await
our return if we chose to go on alone. That he would wait three days;
but if by that time we had not returned he would leave. No offer of
money would tempt him to depart from this resolution. The only
concession he would make was that he would find the ladders and bring
them near the cliff. This he did; and then, with the rest of the
troop, he went back to wait at the entrance of the valley.

"Mr. Trelawny and I took ropes and torches, and again ascended to the
tomb. It was evident that someone had been there in our absence, for
the stone slab which protected the entrance to the tomb was lying flat
inside, and a rope was dangling from the cliff summit. Within, there
was another rope hanging into the shaft of the Mummy Pit. We looked at
each other; but neither said a word. We fixed our own rope, and as
arranged Trelawny descended first, I following at once. I