"This: They gave me some gold and an escort with camels which were
literally lowered down a secret path in the mountains so as to avoid the
Fung, who ring them in and of whom they are terribly afraid. With these
people I crossed the desert to Assouan in safety, a journey of many
weeks, where I left them encamped about sixteen days ago, bidding them
await my return. I arrived in England this morning, and as soon as I
could ascertain that you still lived, and your address, from a book of
reference called _Who's Who_, which they gave me in the hotel, I came on
here."

"Why did you come to me? What do you want me to do?" asked the
Professor.

"I came to you, Higgs, because I know how deeply you are interested
in anything antiquarian, and because I wished to give you the first
opportunity, not only of winning wealth, but also of becoming famous as
the discoverer of the most wonderful relics of antiquity that are left
in the world."

"With a very good chance of getting my throat cut thrown in," grumbled
Higgs.

"As to what I want you to do," I went on, "I want you to find someone
who understands explosives, and will undertake the business of blowing
up the Fung idol."

"Well, that's easy enough, anyhow," said the Professor, pointing to
Captain Orme with the bowl of his pipe, and adding, "he is an engineer
by education, a soldier and a very fair chemist; also he knows Arabic