gainst
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?"

"I don't know. I wish I did; I'd have him arrested for neglecting to
watch over this case. As it is, when he comes back I'll dismiss him from
my employment. He can go back to his infernal laundry work along with
his old witch of a mother."

"But why hasn't Bolton come back, sir?" asked Hope sharply.

Braddock struck a furious blow at the head of the chisel which he had
inserted into the case.

"I want to know that. He brought the case to the Sailor's Rest, and
should have come on with it this morning. Instead of doing so, he tells
the landlord--a most unreliable man--to send it on. And my precious
mummy--the mummy that has cost nine hundred pounds," cried Braddock,
working furiously, and battering the chisel as though it were Bolton's
head, "is left to be stolen by any scientific thief that comes along."
While the Professor, assisted by Cockatoo, loosened the lid of the
packing case, a mild voice was heard at the door. Lucy turned, as did
Archie, to see Widow Anne curtseying on the threshold of the door.

Braddock himself took no notice of her entrance, being occupied with his
task, and even while doing it swore scientifically under his breath.
He was furious against Bolton for neglect of duty, and Hope rather
sympathized with him. It was a serious matter to have left a valuable
object like the green mummy to the rough care of laborers.

"I beg your pardon, my lady," whimpered Widow Anne, who looked more lean
and rusty and dismal than ever; "but has my Sid come? I saw the cart and
the coffin. Where's my boy?"

"Coffin! coffin!" bellowed Braddock angrily between thunder blows. "What
do you mean by calling this case a coffin?"

"Well, it do hold one of them camphorated corps, sir," said Mrs. Bolton
with another curtsey. "My boy Sid told me as much, afore he went to them
furren parts."

"Have you seen him since he returned?" questioned Lucy, while Braddock
and Cockatoo strained at the lid, now nearly off.

"Why, I ain't set eyes on him," moaned the wi