t as he was plainly anxious I should think him. The impression
the vision, for I shall always call it by that name, had made upon me
was still clear and distinct in my mind. I closed my eyes and once more
saw the street filled with that strangely dressed crowd, which drew back
on either hand to make a way for the disgraced Magician to pass through.
It was all so real, and yet, as I am compelled to confess, so
improbable, that I scarcely know what to think. Before I could come to
any satisfactory decision Pharos turned to me again.

"Whatever your condition last night may have been," he said, "it is
plain you are better this morning, and I am rejoiced to see it, for the
reason I have made arrangements to complete the business which has
brought us here. Had you not been well enough to travel I should have
been compelled to leave you behind."

I searched his face for an explanation.

"The mummy?" I asked.

"Exactly," he replied. "The mummy. We leave Cairo this afternoon for
Luxor. I have made the necessary arrangements, and we join the steamer
at midday, that is to say in about two hours' time."

I inquired after the Fraeulein Valerie, whom I had not yet seen,
whereupon Pharos informed me that she had gone to her cabin to prepare
for the excursion up the Nile.

"And now, Mr. Forrester," he said, rising from his chair and returning
the monkey to his place of shelter in the breast of his coat, "if I were
you I should follow her example. It will be necessary for us to start as
punctually as possible."

Sharp on the stroke of twelve a carriage made its appearance at the door
of the hotel. The Fraeulein Valerie, Pharos, and myself took our places
in it, the gigantic Arab whom I had seen at the Pyramid on the preceding
night, and who I was quite certain had held my arms when Pharos
compelled me to drink the potion before the Sphinx, took his place
beside the driver, and we set off along the road to Bulak _en route_ to
the Embabeh. Having reached this, one of the most characteristic spots
in Cairo, we made our way along the bank toward a landing-stage, beside
which a handsome steamer was moored. If anything had been wanting to
convince me of the respect felt for Pharos by the Arabs, I should have
found it in the behaviour of the crew of this vessel. Had he been imbued
with the powers of life and death, they could scarcely have stood in
greater awe of him.

Our party being on board, there was no occasion for any further d