ave an idea. But please do not press me for details. It is better
for everything to go on normally while I do a little useful work. So, I
suggest you two continue on as before, with only one difference. You
will use a different taxi to travel back and forth to Sahara Wells."

"But Hassan is our dragoman," Rick protested. "What's more, he's a
friend. We can't switch now, after we engaged him for the duration of
our stay."

Ben smiled warmly. "Your loyalty to Hassan does you credit. But don't
worry. He will be taken care of. You and I will trade transportation. I
will use Hassan, and you will use my taxi."

"I don't get it," Scotty said.

"It's simple. Both of you are able to testify to criminal actions on the
part of Youssef. Also, if this works out as I hope, you will have
testimony to give on the actions of Kemel Moustafa. Now, if you knew
there was evidence against you, and you were completely ruthless, what
would you do?"

"Remove the evidence," Rick said slowly. His eyes met Scotty's.

"Exactly. So, Hassan stays with me, and your taxi driver will be one of
my best officers. He will stay with you at all times. While you are in
the hotel, another of my men will be your hall porter."

"Do you really think we're in any danger?" Scotty asked.

"Don't ever doubt it, Scotty. Be on guard at all times."

"It's because the cat is very important," Rick stated. "And the cat is
important because of something inside of it. You know what that
something is."

"An excellent deduction," Ben agreed with a grin. "All but the last
statement. I do not know what it is. I merely suspect. My evidence is
circumstantial. I'll tell you this much, though. I know a great deal
about certain interests of the Moustafa brothers, and I was informed by
Interpol that there is an interesting gentleman of great wealth in San
Francisco who talks too much."

Rick thought over the statement. It didn't help at all. He couldn't see
what a talkative man in California had to do with the Egyptian cat.
"That's not very informative," he objected.

Ben laughed. "I'm sure it isn't. But I'll make you a promise. Before you
leave Egypt, we will perform a small operation on the cat and remove its
appendix--or whatever else it may have inside."

"We'll hold you to that," Scotty told him.

Rick's breakfast arrived, and over _cafe au lait_ and Egyptian rolls
Ismail ben Adhem questioned Rick until he was sure he had extracted all
the information the two boy