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"I shall certainly not search for any more emeralds," retorted Braddock dryly. "Now, clear out, both of you, and leave me to examine the mummy. Cockatoo, show these gentlemen out, and let no one else in." Don Pedro returned to the Warrior Hotel to inform his daughter of what had taken place, with the intention of going in the afternoon to Pierside.
Failing that, he would delay the delivery of the mummy to Braddock on some excuse and rob it at Pierside. To make sure of escaping, he borrowed a disguise from his mother, alleging that Hope wanted the same to clothe a model. Sidney intended to take these clothes with him, and, after stealing the jewels, to escape disguised as an old woman.
"I have good news for you." "About the mummy?" she demanded innocently. "No, about flesh and blood, which you prefer. Sir Frank Random has arrived back at the Fort. There!" "I know that," was Miss Kendal's unexpected reply. "His yacht came to Pierside on the same afternoon as The Diver arrived." "Oh, indeed!" said the Professor, struck by the coincidence, and with a stare. "How do you know?"
Still, the fact remains that we are no nearer to learning who killed Bolton than we were." "I am sending Cockatoo to Pierside to-morrow to stop at the Sailor's Rest for a time," said Braddock quickly. "He will watch Hervey, and if there is anything suspicious about his movements, we shall soon know."
Inspector Date's idea was that the pair had taken the mummy to Gartley Pier, after the search made by the soldiers, and there had launched the boat, which Cockatoo judging from his visit to Pierside apparently kept hidden in some nook. It was probable, said Date, the two had rowed down the river, and had managed to get on board some outward-bound tramp.
Braddock at first denied having been to Pierside, but Mrs. Jasher insisted that she would tell the police, so he was forced to make a clean breast of it to the woman. "Now for it," said Random, settling himself to hear details of the crime, for he had often wondered how it had been executed. "Braddock," read Archie from the confession, for Mrs.
"Not here exactly. My father expects it at three o'clock." "It is now a quarter to," said Archie, consulting his watch. "As I have been to London all yesterday I did not know that The Diver had arrived at Pierside, How is Bolton?" Lucy wrinkled her brows. "I am rather worried over Sidney," she said in an anxious voice, "and so is my father. He had not appeared." "What do you mean by that?"
"Bolton's dead murdered, I suppose, as he could scarcely have nailed himself down in a packing case. But it's my precious mummy I am thinking of, Painter. A mummy if you know what a mummy is that cost me nine hundred pounds. Go in, man. Go in and don't stand there gaping. Don't you see that Mr. Hope has opened the door. I have sent Cockatoo to Pierside to notify the police. They will soon be here.
The body must not be disturbed until the police see it," he said firmly. "The police ah, yes, the police," remarked Braddock quickly, "we must send for the police to Pierside and tell them my mummy has been stolen." "That my boy has been murdered," screeched Widow Anne, waving her skinny arms, and striving to break from Archie. "You wicked old devil to kill my darling Sid.
"Oh, he wanted to buy it right enough, and wired to Malta," said Random, "but in reply he received a letter stating that it had been sold to you and was being taken to England on The Diver. I followed The Diver in my yacht and arrived at Pierside an hour after she did." "Ah!" Braddock glared. "I begin to see light. This infernal Spaniard was on board, and wanted my mummy.
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