"Well, let us go in and see if Sidney arrives with the case."
They passed out of the garden and sauntered round to the front of the
house. There, standing in the roadway, they beheld a ponderous lorry
with a rough-looking driver standing at the horses' heads. The front
door of the house was open, so the mummy case had apparently arrived
before its time, and had been taken to Braddock's museum while they were
chatting in the kitchen garden.
"Did Mr. Bolton come with the case?" asked Lucy, leaning over the
railings and addressing the driver.
"No one came, miss, except myself and my two mates, who have taken the
case indoor." The driver jerked a coarse thumb over his shoulder.
"Was Mr. Bolton at the hotel, where the case remained for the night?"
"No, miss--that is, I dunno who Mr. Bolton is. The landlord of the
Sailor's Rest told me and my mates to take the case to this here house,
and we done it. That's all I know, miss."
"Strange," murmured Lucy, walking to the front door. "What do you think,
Archie? Isn't it strange?"
Hope nodded. "But I daresay Bolton will explain his absence," said he,
following her. "He will arrive in time to open the mummy case along with
the Professor."
"I hope so," said Miss Kendal, who looked much perplexed. "I can't
understand Sidney abandoning the case, when it might so easily have
been stolen. Come in and see my father, Archie," and she passed into the
house, followed by the young man, whose curiosity was now aroused. As
they entered the door, the two men who had taken in the case blundered
out and shortly drove away on the lorry towards Jessum railway station.
In the museum they found Braddock purple with rage and swearing
vigorously. He was staring at a large packing case, which had been set
up on end against the wall, while beside him crouched Cockatoo, holding
chisels and hammers and wedges necessary to open the treasure trove.
"So the precious mummy has arrived, father," said Lucy, who saw that the
Professor was furious. "Are you not pleased?"
"Pleased! pleased!" shouted the angry man of science. "How can I be
pleased when I see how badly the case has been treated? See how it
has been bruised and battered and shaken! I'll have an action against
Captain Hervey of The Diver if my mummy has been injured. Sidney should
have taken better care of so precious an object."
"What does he say?" asked Archie, glancing round the museum to see if
the delinquent had arrived.
"Say!" shouted Braddock again, and snatching a chisel from Cockatoo.
"Oh, what can he say when he is not here?"
"Not here?" said Lucy, more and more surprised at the unaccountable
absence of Braddock's assistant. "Where is he, then?"