“Those fellows are up on the ledge,” said Bertie, who had been watching them. “What if they find those old pillars, and bits and pieces of old buildings.”

  “They can have ‘em as far as I’m concerned.”

  “They’ll start excavating,” said Dizzy, ruefully.

  “With what? Their bare hands?” Biggles laughed shortly. “They’ve no tools with them. Before they start digging they’ll have to fetch some.”

  Half an hour passed. Biggles was watching for the Dakota, due at any time now, when Bertie said: “You were right, old boy. They’re not stopping to do any digging. They’re coming back. Seem to be in a deuce of a hurry, too. Anyone would think they wanted to have another natter with us before the machine comes back here to fetch us.”

  “They haven’t found the cave, that’s all I care,” muttered Dizzy.

  It was soon clear that Majoli and his party were not going to their boat. They walked directly to where Biggles and the others sat waiting. They seemed to be in a state of some excitement.

  Said Majoli, curdy, when he strode up. “So you found it?”

  “Found what?” asked Dizzy, in an innocent voice, real or affected.

  “The treasure.”

  “What treasure?”

  “Don’t play that game with me. What about this?” Majoli almost thrust a hand at Dizzy. On the open palm lay a silver coin.

  “Oh! my coin. That was careless of me. I must have dropped it,” said Dizzy. “I’m glad you found it. Do you mind letting me have it back?”

  “This one isn’t yours,” rapped out Majoli.

  “What do you mean—it isn’t mine?” Dizzy was staring.

  Said Majoli, speaking slowly and distinctly. “This is not the coin you showed me in the British Museum. You’ve found more. Where are they?”

  CHAPTER IX

  AWKWARD MOMENTS

  DIZZY GAPED stupidly at the coin as if not fully understanding the purport of what had been said. Then he realized, or thought he realized, what had happened. He must have dropped the coin when he had taken a handful from his pocket to prove to Biggles that he and Bertie had found the treasure.

  It was Biggles who answered Majoli’s impertinent accusation. “Here, just a minute,” he protested, coldly. “What have you got to get all steamed up about? Don’t you talk to us like that. The coin Digswell showed you in the British Museum wasn’t necessarily the only one lying on the sands of Arabia. The one you say you’ve just picked up could have been lying where you found it for thousands of years.” Actually, of course, he didn’t believe this. He had come to the same conclusion as Dizzy.

  “This one hadn’t been lying there for one year, never mind thousands.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Look at it! It’s in mint condition. Had that coin been lying in the open for any length of time the surface would have been scoured smooth by the action of sand blowing over it.”

  “Very well. For the sake of argument let’s admit you’re right. Suppose we had picked up a ton of coins, which in fact we have not, what has that to do with you?”

  “It has a lot to do with me. I’ve been working on this particular field of exploration for years.” Majoli spoke in a voice brittle with frustration.

  “You mean treasure hunting?”

  “You can call it that.”

  “Are you saying you knew there was a treasure near here?”

  “I knew there was something important.”

  “How did you know?”

  “From the old records of the country in which I happened to be born, when I was a student.”

  “You mean Ethiopia.”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, if you didn’t find what you were looking for that’s your bad luck. What are you going to do about it?”

  “We want a share of this,” declared Majoli brazenly.

  “The deuce you do! By thunder! You’ve got a nerve.”

  “Are you going to tell us what you know?”

  “Not a word. And don’t you start throwing your weight about with me or I’ll radio Aden and have you put off the coast. I’d wager you’ve no permit to land here.”

  “Have you?”

  “Yes.”

  “Talk,” sneered Majoli. “All talk.”

  “You’ll find I can do more than talk.”

  Here this belligerent conversation was interrupted by the approach of the Dakota, flying low. Everyone stood still to watch it land. When it had done so Algy taxied close, switched off and, with a basket in his hand, jumped down.

  “A pile of sandwiches and a couple of flasks of iced coffee,” he said, handing the basket to Bertie. Then, apparently sensing that something was wrong, looking from one to the other he inquired: “What’s going on here?”

  “Just a slight argument,” replied Biggles, casually. “These gentlemen have the whimsical notion that we’ve found a treasure and claim a share of it.”

  “How very interesting.”

  “Have you taken the treasure to Aden?” asked Majoli sharply, as if the possibility had just occurred to him.

  “What treasure?”

  “The one you found near here.”

  “Don’t be absurd. Do you suppose we’d still be here, frying in the sun, if we’d found this treasure you’re talking about?”

  “Let’s stop fencing with words. Have you got it?”

  “No. I wish we had.”

  Majoli’s eyes suddenly fastened on the ground. He sprang forward and snatched up a small object. Again he held out a hand, palm upwards. On it lay another silver coin.

  “You’re all lying,” he cried, shrilly. “What about that, eh? What about that?”

  “What about it?” parried Biggles, evenly.

  “This is one you dropped when you were loading up.”

  “In that case it belongs to us. Hand it over.”

  “It doesn’t belong to you.”

  “It certainly doesn’t belong to you.”

  “We’ll see about that.” Majoli whipped out an automatic and brandished it wildly.

  “Oh, put that thing away before you do some mischief with it,” said Biggles, impatiently. “Now you listen to me. I’ve something better to do than stand here arguing with you. I have a friend to find, and at the rate the light’s going I haven’t long to do it in.”

  “You say you haven’t got the treasure?” queried Majoli.

  “That’s what I say.”

  “If you’re telling the truth you won’t mind me having a look round in that plane of yours.”

  Biggles shrugged. “If that’ll satisfy you. You’re welcome to all the treasure you can find.”

  “At least you won’t be able to run away while we’re inside,” sneered Majoli.

  The four men moved towards the aircraft.

  “Go with ‘em and show them everything,” Biggles told Algy. When they were inside, speaking to Dizzy, he went on: “Why don’t you mend the holes in your pockets instead of walking about shedding coins as if they were chicken feed?”

  “Sorry. That must have been one I dropped before I emptied my pockets.”

  Bertie stepped in. “I say, old boy, what are you going to do about these interfering grafters? I have a feeling they’re going to cut up rough if we don’t give them what they want.”

  “They may be bluffing.”

  “I wouldn’t gamble on that. Suppose they get really nasty. If Majoli packs a gun you can reckon his pals do, too. They might use ‘em. They’re crazy to get this treasure, and if I know anything they’re not the sort to stop at threats. They’d be pretty safe in a place like this, with a boat standing by to take ‘em off after the dirty work. And we have to look for Ginger.”

  “It is a bit difficult,” admitted Biggles. “What can we do? We can’t afford to get involved in a gun battle if there’s any possible way of avoiding it.”

  “Why not?”

  “Use your head. For the simple reason there would certainly be casualties, perhaps on both sides. If we shot them we should have to report it, and that would start a rare old stink in Aden. It might not end there. The whole story would have to come out, and when it was known who we are there’d be questions asked in Parliament. I’d rather Majoli had whatever there is in the cave than allow that to happen. It would be letting the Air Commodore down. If any of us were hit we’d be in an even worse mess. The whole thing hinges on Ginger. If it were not for him I’d feel like pulling out and leave this bunch of chisellers to do what they like. But we can’t leave here until we know what’s happened to Ginger. You must see that.”

  “True enough, old boy. Too true, in fact.”

  “We may find a way of tricking them. Pipe down. Here they come.”

  Majoli and his party returned.

  “Satisfied?” inquired Biggles, with cutting sarcasm.

  “No.”

  “Well, that’s up to you. Do you mind if I take off now?”

  “You’re not leaving here until you tell me where you found those coins.” All four men, as if it had been prearranged, drew guns.

  Biggles sighed. “For heaven’s sake. Can’t you understand that if we’d found anything it would have gone to Aden in the machine you saw take off?”

  “Why did it come back? You’re not here for a holiday.”

  “You’re dead right we’re not. I’ve already told you we’re waiting for one of our party.”

  “Where is he?”

  “I wish I knew. If he’d show up you wouldn’t see me for a cloud of dust and small pebbles.”

  “Why did this machine come back?” Majoli pointed a finger at the Dakota.

  “I’ll tell you, although I don’t know why I should. I wanted a larger machine.”

  “Why? To carry the treasure?”

  “No. To carry more passengers. The machine you first saw here was a Proctor, which happens to be a three seater. As you can see, there are four of us here now, and I hope there’ll be another. Anything else you’d like to know?”

  “Yes.”

  “What is it?”

  “Where you’ve put the treasure.”

  “And if I refused to tell you—assuming I had put it somewhere?”

  “If you don’t talk we shall shoot the lot of you.”

  “That wouldn’t be a very clever thing to do. We might be missed.”

  “When you were found they’d know why you hadn’t come back.”

  “How do you work that out?”

  Majoli showed his teeth in an ugly grin. “We’ll throw you into the machine and set fire to it. It would then be thought there’d been another unfortunate accident.”

  Biggles lit a cigarette. “You do have some charming ideas, I must say.”

  Actually, he was thinking fast. First and foremost he had no intention of leaving the district without making another, more intensive, search for Ginger, if necessary covering a wider area. Again, he did not lose sight of the possibility of Ginger, or his body, lying somewhere on the hillside, because the most natural thing for him to have done, when Bertie and Dizzy failed to return to the aircraft, would have been to look for them. Indeed, it was almost impossible to think of any other reason why he should leave his post.

  “Well?” prompted Majoli. “You’re taking a long time to think about it.”

  “I’ve a lot to think about,” returned Biggles, evenly. “I’ll make a suggestion in the hope of putting an end to this unseemly squabbling. First, this aircraft must stay here in case my missing friend comes back. If he returned to the landing ground and found no plane he wouldn’t know what to do. It’ll be dark in an hour so my proposed search might as well wait until tomorrow morning when I shall have the day in front of me. In the meantime I’ll go with you up the mountain and show you where I believe more coins may be, although I must warn you that I’ve never actually seen them. One of my friends will go with us. The other two will have to stay here with the machine.”

  “Why?”

  “Because they’re in no state to do any walking. You can see that for yourself.”

  “What have they been doing?”

  “They got in the mess they’re in looking for this treasure you keep on about. Among other things they’re feeling the heat. They’ll have to rest. They’re not likely to run off leaving me here, so you needn’t worry about that. But get this straight. Don’t get the idea that you’re pushing me into this. I was going up that hill again in any case, and it might as well be now.”

  “Why do you want to go up the hill?”

  Biggles sighed. “Do I have to say everything twice? I’ve lost a friend. I have reason to believe he may have gone up that hill. If so he either became lost or met with an accident. Either way he’ll be dead by now. I intend looking for his body, for which reason I shall search among the rocks.”

  “Don’t try any tricks.”

  “Tricks ? I could have shot you five minutes ago had I wanted to.”

  “With what?”

  “With this.” Biggles showed his gun.

  For a moment Majoli looked shaken. “Hand it over.”

  “You try to take it. I’ll wager I can shoot faster than you.”

  “My friends here would get you.”

  “That wouldn’t help you much, would it? And get this. Shoot us and you’ll never find that treasure as long as you live. I’ll take my oath on that.”

  “Then you do know where it is?”

  “Say I have a rough idea.”

  “Have you seen it?”

  “I’ve told you, no.”

  Majoli had a whispered conversation with his associates and came back. “Very well. I agree.”

  ‘‘You realize that if we go up that hill with you we shall search among the rocks as we go. That’s the only reason I’m going.”

  “You think you may be able to give us the slip.”

  “If I wanted to give you the slip I wouldn’t have to sweat up that perishing hill to do it. I’ve told you why I’m going, and I’m going to the top. Now quit stalling before I lose my temper with you.”

  “All right,” growled Majoli. “But don’t waste too much time. We don’t want to spend all night on the hill.”

  “I have no intention of doing that,” returned Biggles, icily. He got up, turning to Bertie and Dizzy. “You two stand by just in case Ginger comes back. I’d advise you to have a sleep in the cabin. You need it.” Then, turning back to Majoli: “Okay. We’re ready when you are.”

  “Walk in front, then we can see what you’re doing,” ordered Majoli arrogantly.

  Biggles obeyed without argument. “Suits me. You can put those guns away. You won’t need ‘em.”

  “Afraid you might be shot?”

  “From the way you handle yours I’m more afraid you might accidentally shoot yourself; in which case we would have to go to the trouble of digging a hole to put you in,” retorted Biggles.

  CHAPTER X

  UP THE HILL AND DOWN

  FOR THE second time that day Biggles and Algy trudged wearily across the arid sand to the time-bleached rocks of the hills. Biggles was not acting under compulsion. Had he not wanted to go he would not have gone. As he had said, it had been his intention to make another search in that direction, the most likely one Ginger would have taken; the only one which, as far as was known, he had any reason to take. Wherefore as they walked they looked about them, dreading what they might find, sometimes, as they climbed the slope, making short detours to look behind boulders from which Ginger might have fallen. They did not attempt to deceive themselves. Had that happened it would be futile to hope he might still be alive, so, really, it was his body they were looking for. It was a depressing business altogether, and Biggles had some harsh words to say about treasure hunting.

  When they made these short excursions Majoli and his friends watched them closely but did not follow, apparently having no desire to do more clambering over the broken rocks than was necessary.

  “What are you going to do when we get up top?” asked Algy quietly, on one of these occasions when they were out of earshot.

  “I haven’t made up my mind.”

  “Are you going to show them the cave?”

  “You mean where the cave was.”

  “Put it that way if you like.”

  “I may.”

  “That’s as good as handing them the treasure.”

  “Not quite. I had a good look at the place after that last fall of rock. There must be tons of stuff blocking the entrance to the cave, and it looked to me as if it would only need a touch to bring more down. I wouldn’t go near it for all the bullion in the Bank of England. If they like to take the risk that’s up to them. There won’t be time for them to do much today, anyhow. It’ll take some time to manhandle enough boulders to get inside. There’s a lot of rubble, too, and they’ve no tools with them.”

  “By the way, after your argument with Majoli about who this stuff belongs to, who does it belong to?”

  “I wouldn’t care to express an opinion. Several nations might claim it. Any of the Arab States, Yemen, Saudi Arabia and the rest, could say they had a right to it. So could Israel if it comes to that. It might depend on who it originally belonged to.”

  “How could that be established?”

  “By the head shown on the coinage. Even that could be disputed because the stuff might have been stolen, or used to pay a debt.”

  “It seemed to me there were several different heads on the coins I saw Dizzy pick up.”

  “That would be natural. Some of the hoards found at home cover half a dozen reigns. I’d say this is a case where, after all this time, the coins belong to the finder. As a matter of fact, the interest in this particular find would be international because of its historical importance.”

  “We should be able to give Majoli the slip when it gets dark,” observed Algy, changing the subject.

  “We probably could, but I don’t feel like trying it.”

  “Why not?”

 

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