“Restore the mummy to you!” he gasped.  “Why, it is mine.”

“Pardon me,” said the Peruvian, still gravely but very decisively, “you admitted that it belonged to me.”

Braddock’s face deepened to a fine purple.

“I didn’t know what I was saying,” he protested.  “How could I say it was your property when I have bought it for nine hundred pounds?”

“It was stolen from me.”

“That has got to be proved,” said Braddock caustically.

Don Pedro rose, looking more like, Don Quixote than ever.

“I have the honor to give you my word and—­”

“Yes, yes.  That is all right.  I cast no imputation on your honor.”

“I should think not,” said the other coldly but strongly.

“All the same, you can scarcely expect me to part with so valuable an object,” Braddock waved his hand towards the case, “without strict inquiry into the circumstances.  And again, sir, even if you succeed in proving your ownership, I am not inclined to restore the mummy to you for nothing.”

“But it is stolen property you are keeping from me.”

“I know nothing about that:  I have only your bare word that it is so, Don Pedro.  All I know is that I paid nine hundred pounds for the mummy and that it cost the best part of another hundred to bring it to England.  What I have, I keep.”

“Like your country,” said the Peruvian sarcastically.

“Precisely,” replied the Professor suavely.  “Every Englishman has a bull-dog tenacity of purpose.  Brag is a good dog, Don Pedro, but Holdfast is a better one.”

“Then I understand,” said the Peruvian, stretching out his hand to pick up the fallen manuscript, “that you will keep the mummy.”

“Certainly,” said Braddock coolly, “since I have paid for it.  Also, I shall keep the jewels, which the manuscript tells me—­ from the glance I obtained of it—­were buried with it.”

“The sole jewels buried are two large emeralds which the mummy holds in its hands,” explained Don Pedro, restoring the manuscript to his pocket, “and I wish for them so that I may get money to restore the fortunes of my family.”

“No! no! no!” said Braddock forcibly.  “I have bought the mummy and the jewels with it.  They will sell to supply me with money to fit out my expedition to the tomb of Queen Tahoser.”

“I shall dispute your claim,” cried De Gayangos, losing his calmness.

Braddock waved his hand with supreme content.

“I can give you the address of my lawyers,” he retorted; “any steps you choose to take will only result in loss, and from what you hint I should not think that you had much money to spend on litigation.”

Don Pedro bit his lip, and saw that it was indeed a more difficult task than he had anticipated to make Braddock yield up his prize.

“If you were in Lima,” he muttered, speaking Spanish in his excitement, “you would then learn that I speak truly.”