第54章 CHAPTER XVI(3)

"Look, Hope, at the wonderful color of this wool. There are some arts we have lost completely - dyeing of this surprising beauty is one. Humph!" mused the archaeologist, "I wonder why this particular mummy is dyed green, or rather why it is wrapped in green bandages. Yellow was the royal color of the ancient Peruvian monarchs. Vicuna wool dyed yellow. What do you think, Hope? It is strange."Archie shrugged his shoulders.

"I can say nothing, because I know nothing," he said sharply.

"All I do know is, that I wish this precious mummy had never been brought here. It has caused trouble ever since its arrival.""Well," said Braddock, surveying the dead with some disfavor, "Imust say that I shall be glad to see the last of it myself. Iknow now all that I wanted to know! Humph! I wonder if Don Pedro will allow me to strip the mummy? Of course! It is mine not his. I shall unswathe it entirely," and Braddock was about to lay sacrilegious, hands on the dead, when Cockatoo entered breathlessly. He had been so quick that he must have run to the Fort and back again.

"I knock at door," said the Kanaka, delivering his message, "and I hear no voice. I go in and find no one, so I put the letter on the table. I come down and ask, and a soldier tells me, sir, his master is coming back in half an hour.""You should have waited," said Braddock, waving Cockatoo aside.

"Come along with me to the Fort, Hope."

"But Random will come here as soon as he returns.""Very likely, but I can't wait. I am anxious to hear what he has to say in his defense. Come, Cockatoo, my coat, my hat, my gloves. Stir yourself, you scoundrel!"Archie was not unwilling to go, since he was anxious also to hear what Random would say to the absurd accusation brought against him by the Yankee. In a few minutes the two men were walking smartly down the road through the village, the Professor striving to keep up with Hope's longer legs by trotting as hard as he could. Halfway down the village they met a trap, and in it Captain Hervey being driven to the Jessum railway station.

"Have you seen Don Pedro?" asked the Professor, stopping the vehicle.

"I reckon not," answered Hervey stolidly. "He's gone into Pierside to see the police. I'm off there also.""You had better come with us," said Archie sternly; - "we are going to see Sir Frank Random.""Give him my respects," said the skipper cold-bloodedly, "and say that he's worth one hundred pounds to me," he waved his hand and the trap moved away, but he looked back with a wry smile.

"Say I'll square the matter for double the money and command of his yacht."Braddock and Archie looked after the trap in disgust.

"What a scoundrel the man is!" said the Professor pettishly;"he'd sell his father for what he could get.""It shows how much his word is to be depended upon. I expect this accusation of Random is a put-up job.""I hope so, for Random's sake," said Braddock, trotting briskly along.

In a short time they arrived at the Fort and were informed that Sir Frank had not yet returned, but was expected back every moment. In the meanwhile, as Braddock and Hope were both extremely well known, they were shown into Random's quarters, which were on the first floor. When the soldier-servant retired and the door was closed, Hope seated himself near the window, while Braddock trotted round, looking into things.

"It's a dog kennel," said the Professor. "I told Random that.""Perhaps we should have waited him in the mess," suggested Archie.

"No! no! no! We couldn't talk there, with a lot of silly young fools hanging about. I told Random that I would never enter the mess, so he invited me to come always to his quarters. He was in love with Lucy then," chuckled the Professor, "and nothing was too good for me.""Not even the dog kennel," said Hope dryly, for the Professor's chatter was so rude as to be quite annoying.

"Pooh! pooh! pooh! Random doesn't mind a joke. You, Hope, have no sense of humor. Your name is Scotch also. I believe you are a Caledonian.""I am nothing of the sort. I was born on this side of the border.""You might have been born at the North Pole for all I care," said the little man politely. "I don't like artists: they are usually silly. I wish Lucy had married a man of science. Now don't talk rubbish. I know what you are going to say.""Well," said Archie, humoring him, "what am I going to say?"This non-plussed the irritable savant.

"Hum! Hum! hum! I don't know and don't care. Pouf! How hot this room is! What a number of books of travel Random has!"Braddock was now at the bookcase, which consisted of shelves swung by cords against the wall.

"Random travels a great deal," Archie reminded him.

"Quite so: quite so. Wastes his money on that silly yacht. But he hasn't traveled in South America. I expect he's going there.

Come here, Hope, and see the many, many books about Peru and Chili and Brazil. There must be a dozen, and all library books too."Archie sauntered towards the shelves.

"I expect Random is getting up the subject of South America, so as to talk to Donna Inez.""Probably! probably!" snapped Braddock, pulling several of the books out of place. "Why, there isn't a - Ah, dear me! What a catastrophe!"He might well say so, for in his desire to examine the books, they all tipped off the shelves and lay in a disorderly heap on the floor. Hope began to pick them up and replace them, and so did the author of the mischief. Among the books were several papers scribbled with notes, and Braddock bundled these all in a heap.. Shortly, he caught sight of the writing on one.

"Hullo! Latin," said he, and read a line or two. "Oh!" he gasped, "Hope! Hope! The manuscript of Don Pedro!""Impossible!"

Archie rose and stared at the discolored paper.

"Sorry to have kept you," said Random, entering at this moment.

"You villain!" shouted Braddock furiously, "so you are guilty after all?"