“It’s a long story,” said the baronet, with a shrug and a smile.

“Story! story!  What story?”

“’That which I am about to tell you.”  And then

Random began hurriedly, so as to prevent further arguments of an unprofitable kind.  “I was at Genoa with my yacht, and there stopped on shore at the Casa Bianca.”

“What place is that?”

“An hotel.  I there met with a certain Don Pedro de Gayangos and his daughter, Donna Inez, He was a gentleman from Lima, and had come to Europe in search of the green mummy.”

Braddock stared.

“And what did this confounded Spaniard want with my green mummy?” he demanded indignantly.  “How did he know of its existence?—­ what reason had he to try and obtain it?  Answer, sir.”

“I shall let Don Pedro answer himself,” said Random dryly.  “He arrives in a couple of days, and intends to take rooms at the Warrior Inn along with his daughter.  Then you can question him, Professor.”

“I question you,” snapped Braddock angrily.

“And I am answering to the best of my ability.  Don Pedro told me nothing beyond the fact that he wanted the mummy, and had come to Europe to get it.  In some way he learned that it was in Malta and was for sale.”

“Quite so:  quite so,” rasped the Professor.  “He saw the advertisement in the newspapers, as I did, and wanted to buy it over my head.”

“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.  He knew that Bolton had taken it to the Sailor’s Rest and went there to kill the poor lad and get my—­”

“Nothing of the sort,” interrupted Sir Frank impatiently.  “Don Pedro remained behind in Genoa, intending to write and ask if you would sell him the mummy.  I wrote and told him of the murder of your assistant and related all that had happened.  He wired to me that he was coming to England at once, as—­as I told you.  He will be in Gartley in a couple of days.  That is the whole story.”

“It is a sufficiently strange one,” grumbled Braddock, frowning.  “What does he want with my mummy?”

“I cannot tell you.  But if you will sell—­”

“Sell! sell! sell!” vociferated Braddock furiously.

“Don Pedro will give you a good price,” finished Random calmly.

“I haven’t got the mummy,” said the Professor, sitting down and wiping his pink head, “and if I had, I certainly would not sell.  However, I’ll hear what this gentleman has to say when he arrives.  Perhaps he can throw some light on the mystery of this crime.”

“I am perfectly certain that he cannot, sir.  Don Pedro—­as I said—­was left behind in Genoa.”