Tags:
Fiction,
General,
Historical,
Children's Books,
People & Places,
Action & Adventure,
Family,
Juvenile Fiction,
Action & Adventure - General,
Magic,
Fantasy & Magic,
YA),
Fantasy & magical realism (Children's,
Children's Fiction,
Ages 9-12 Fiction,
Science Fiction; Fantasy; & Magic,
Social Issues,
Europe,
Children: Grades 4-6,
Girls & Women,
Adventure and Adventurers,
Siblings,
middle east,
Mysteries & Detective Stories,
Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance,
Legends; Myths; Fables,
Museums,
Ancient Civilizations,
Adventure stories (Children's,
Norse,
Historical - Europe,
Exploration & Discovery
old Egyptian guy would come looking for it?"
"Well, not him exactly," I admitted. "But it did occur to me that someone might come after it."
"But only you and I and Stilton knew--oh! You thought
92
Stilton might come after it?" He frowned, puzzled. "I always liked Stilton."
"Me too, Henry, but there are many strange things afoot these days." Still uncertain how much to tell him, I took a deep breath. He had to know some of it, if only so he could stay safe. And really, a second set of eyes keeping a lookout for odd goings-on couldn't hurt. Surely it was all right for him to know as much as Sticky Will did. That seemed reasonable. "You remember how I told you I'd gone to Egypt on Wigmere's orders?"
Henry stopped fidgeting.
"There's rather more to it than that." I paused, trying to get my thoughts in order. "Go on," he said.
"I'm still keeping an eye on things for Wigmere. But there are others involved too. Remember von Braggenschnott?"
"I'm not likely to forget him, given that he nearly killed Sticky Will."
"Yes, well, it turned out that Nigel Bollingsworth had been working with him."
Henry's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "Our old Assistant Curator? The one you always made cow eyes at?"
"I never did," I said.
"He was a traitor?"
93
"Exactly. And Wigmere wanted me to keep an eye out for any other traitors."
Henry leaned forward. "It's that Fagenbush fellow, isn't it? He's always seemed fishy to me."
I sighed. "I'm afraid not. Wigmere claims to have checked him out rather thoroughly."
"Maybe he's wrong."
"Yes, my thoughts exactly."
"What about Stilton?"
"Stilton doesn't work for the Serpents of Chaos, but he does belong to a secret organization--" "Like a club?"
"Yes, like a club. It's called the Arcane Order of the Black Sun, and they are wildly attracted to all sorts of magic. Especially Egyptian magic. So while Stilton means well, I don't necessarily trust the others in his organization."
Henry whistled.
"But wait," I said. "It gets better. Remember when you and I went into the Seven Dials last time you were home? And we followed that gentleman from the British Museum?"
Henry nodded. "Tetley, you said his name was."
"Shhh!" I glanced over my shoulder, afraid that the mummy formerly known as Tetley would somehow respond to hearing his name.
94
"What?" Henry whispered.
"That's him." I pointed to the mummy up against the wall. "Quit pulling my leg ..."
"No, Henry, really! Von Braggenschnott got mad at him for failing when we were in Egypt and he had him mummified as a punishment. These are extremely dangerous people, which is why I'm telling you all this. So you will be on your guard and watchful at all times."
"You mean I get to work for Wigmere too?"
"Well, not Wigmere exactly. But me. You can help me in my duties for Wigmere, and that will be just like working for him," I rushed to explain.
He wasn't fooled. "No, it won't. It will be like working for you." He sighed, clearly put out. Then he frowned. "How does that old Egyptian fellow fit into this? Does he work for Wigmere too? Or the Caning Order for Blackson--what did you call it?"
"The Arcane Order of the Black Sun. And I don't know yet how he fits in, but that's what I intend to find out."
"Find out what?"
I jerked my head up at the sound of Clive Fagenbush's voice. He stood on the bottom step. How on earth had he gotten all the way down those creaky stairs without my hearing him? "What are you doing here?" I asked, none too politely.
95
He came fully into the basement; his gaze slowly took in the mad jumble of long-forgotten artifacts before finally settling on the row of mummies on the far wall. He crossed over to them and began studying them with interest. "I see you're keeping Tetley down here."
"Not by choice. Chudleigh wants nothing to do with him now that he knows that it's a fake. He clearly doesn't belong in the museum, but there's not much else to be done. Unless you have a suggestion," I said sweetly. Actually, what