United States or Netherlands ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
The boys did so, with no hesitation. In spite of Youssef's apparently casual manner, both knew he would not hesitate to shoot. He raised his voice and shouted in Arabic. The boys stiffened as footsteps sounded behind them and gun muzzles were thrust into their backs. Youssef vanished from the window and reappeared in a moment through the door. "You're a difficult young man," he told Rick.
To European ears this may sound rather strange, but those who have seen the flat roofs of Eastern lands will understand it. Youssef's house, like nearly all the other houses of the city, had a flat roof, with a surrounding parapet nearly breast-high. Here had been placed a few wooden boxes filled with earth and planted with flowering shrubs.
The only thing I can do is talk to some people I know who may have more clues to Youssef's behavior." Moustafa's attitude changed subtly. "Now, where is the cat?" Rick was suddenly glad he didn't have it at hand. "It's in the Egyptian Museum," he said. Moustafa exploded. "What!" "That's right," Scotty added coolly. "We saw the men trailing us, so Rick hid the cat in the museum.
Youssef's words simply reinforced the conclusion he and Scotty already had reached. "Elements of value to a few people," Youssef had said. That might mean only a few people knew what the cat contained. If you didn't know, it was only a plastic cat. If you did know what it contained ... well, Youssef knew, and he wanted the cat badly enough to risk a kidnaping. Rick wondered where the cat was now.
"We got both Youssef and Moustafa, although the trap was only for Kemel. And you were never in any real danger, except for a stray bullet. I've been in the unfinished barracks with my men since noontime. The senior scientists knew it. That's why they were willing to leave you alone. Two of my men mingled with Youssef's gang as soon as they arrived, and weren't detected.
There was some real value attached to the cat. It was not manufacturing rights or sales, and it was not revenge. He was sure of that. Youssef had said that he had no sentimental attachment to the cat. He had also said he disliked unnecessary violence. Rick wondered what the thief considered "unnecessary." What else could he recall of Youssef's talk?
There were two possibilities: Moustafa and Youssef. So far as Third Brother knew, the cat was to be delivered to him at the hotel that night. On the other hand, Youssef's men had searched them in front of the museum, and later Rick had handed Youssef a kitten. The thief must have found out that the kitten was a fake. Scotty picked up the room telephone and called the project.
Now he tugged at his mustache and nodded. "Whether it was worth while remains to be seen. According to my man, Youssef did not get the cat. This is correct?" "Yes. Did you see my friend last night?" "I did. Precisely at seven. He informed me that you were missing. Then, sometime later, my man managed to leave Youssef's gang and report in. I at once made plans for your rescue. Now tell me.
Moustafa blazed, "Hurry! Youssef's men must be loose. I count three and shoot! One, two...." "Hold it," Rick said hurriedly. "It's under the amplifier." He walked to the amplifier and bent, fumbling with the door latch. If he could shield his motions, he could grab the cat, turn, and throw. He might be lucky ... "Just hand him the cat," Scotty said quickly.
Word Of The Day