me?”
“Ain't no sense both of us freezing,” I replied. “You ain't using your head at all tonight, Friday. It occurs to me that just based on brainpower alone, a fifty-fifty partnership may not be the most equitable arrangement ever to come down the pike.”
“You can be an equal partner or a naked victim,” said Friday seriously “I don't recall offering you a third alternative.” He placed his hand meaningfully on the hilt of his dagger.
“Well, partner, as long as you put it that way, I guess everything is settled,” I said quickly.
We decided to set off in search of food and clothing. By sunrise we still weren't exactly the best-dressed or fattest men in town, so when a crowd began forming on one of the main thoroughfares, we just naturally followed them, hoping for a handout or two, or at least a couple of bulging and unprotected pockets.
What we found was a caravan filled to the brim with golden statues and other baubles, all of them worth a pretty penny or two. Some fellow in khaki shorts and shirt and an oversized pith helmet was standing next to all this stuff, answering questions that a bunch of reporters was tossing up at him.
“What seems to be causing all the commotion, brother?” I asked a European who was standing on the outskirts of the crowd, trying to get a peek of the goings-on.
“Why, don't you ever read a newspaper, friend?” he replied. “This is the first load of treasure to be removed from King Tut's tomb.”
“And where might I find this King Tut?” I asked, figuring that any king who gave away gold in such quantities ought to have a little food and a couple of suits left over for a young and modest Christian gentleman who had just undergone months of privation on the Dark Continent.
“I guess you don't read the papers at that!” laughed the European. “King Tutankhamen has been dead for more than three thousand years.”
“Just settling the estate now, are they?” I asked, not wishing to appear unduly ignorant.
My companion shook his head with a smile. “King Tut's tomb was discovered on December 1 of last year by an Englishman named Lord Carnarvon and an American named Carter. It's the greatest archaeological find in history.”
“Yeah?” I replied. “What all did they find?”
“All kinds of antiques: gilt couches and alabaster vases covered with hieroglyphics. And of course they found Tut himself, the boy king who had been buried with all these marvels millennia ago.”
“So now that they found all this stuff, who are they going to sell it to?” I asked.
“Sell it?” He looked horrified. “My good man, all of these fabulous items from antiquity will be put on public display.” He looked long and hard at me, and then added: “Under extremely heavy guard, of course.”
“Of course,” I agreed, nodding my head thoughtfully. “And what about old Tut himself? They gonna finally give him a decent Christian burial?”
“You must be mad!” thundered the European. “Tut is the greatest find of all! They'll be displaying his mummy all over the world.”
“You mean to tell me, brother, that they're going to take this dead little boy all wrapped up in bandages and put him on display?” I exclaimed. “Why, it's uncivilized!”
“They're considering bids from various countries right this moment,” said my companion.
“Bids? Why would a country pay good coin of the realm to put a mummy on display?”
“They'll charge tourists and recoup their money, never fear,” he replied. “But they'll be doing it for the prestige. The profits will be merely incidental.”
I thanked him for all this information and moseyed on back to Friday, who had been busy relieving onlookers of their excess change while they were watching the caravan.
“Look, Lucifer,” he said, holding up a wad of pound notes. “At least we won't freeze or starve.”
“The possibility ain't never crossed my mind,” I said, looking around for a store that sold notions and
“Ain't no sense both of us freezing,” I replied. “You ain't using your head at all tonight, Friday. It occurs to me that just based on brainpower alone, a fifty-fifty partnership may not be the most equitable arrangement ever to come down the pike.”
“You can be an equal partner or a naked victim,” said Friday seriously “I don't recall offering you a third alternative.” He placed his hand meaningfully on the hilt of his dagger.
“Well, partner, as long as you put it that way, I guess everything is settled,” I said quickly.
We decided to set off in search of food and clothing. By sunrise we still weren't exactly the best-dressed or fattest men in town, so when a crowd began forming on one of the main thoroughfares, we just naturally followed them, hoping for a handout or two, or at least a couple of bulging and unprotected pockets.
What we found was a caravan filled to the brim with golden statues and other baubles, all of them worth a pretty penny or two. Some fellow in khaki shorts and shirt and an oversized pith helmet was standing next to all this stuff, answering questions that a bunch of reporters was tossing up at him.
“What seems to be causing all the commotion, brother?” I asked a European who was standing on the outskirts of the crowd, trying to get a peek of the goings-on.
“Why, don't you ever read a newspaper, friend?” he replied. “This is the first load of treasure to be removed from King Tut's tomb.”
“And where might I find this King Tut?” I asked, figuring that any king who gave away gold in such quantities ought to have a little food and a couple of suits left over for a young and modest Christian gentleman who had just undergone months of privation on the Dark Continent.
“I guess you don't read the papers at that!” laughed the European. “King Tutankhamen has been dead for more than three thousand years.”
“Just settling the estate now, are they?” I asked, not wishing to appear unduly ignorant.
My companion shook his head with a smile. “King Tut's tomb was discovered on December 1 of last year by an Englishman named Lord Carnarvon and an American named Carter. It's the greatest archaeological find in history.”
“Yeah?” I replied. “What all did they find?”
“All kinds of antiques: gilt couches and alabaster vases covered with hieroglyphics. And of course they found Tut himself, the boy king who had been buried with all these marvels millennia ago.”
“So now that they found all this stuff, who are they going to sell it to?” I asked.
“Sell it?” He looked horrified. “My good man, all of these fabulous items from antiquity will be put on public display.” He looked long and hard at me, and then added: “Under extremely heavy guard, of course.”
“Of course,” I agreed, nodding my head thoughtfully. “And what about old Tut himself? They gonna finally give him a decent Christian burial?”
“You must be mad!” thundered the European. “Tut is the greatest find of all! They'll be displaying his mummy all over the world.”
“You mean to tell me, brother, that they're going to take this dead little boy all wrapped up in bandages and put him on display?” I exclaimed. “Why, it's uncivilized!”
“They're considering bids from various countries right this moment,” said my companion.
“Bids? Why would a country pay good coin of the realm to put a mummy on display?”
“They'll charge tourists and recoup their money, never fear,” he replied. “But they'll be doing it for the prestige. The profits will be merely incidental.”
I thanked him for all this information and moseyed on back to Friday, who had been busy relieving onlookers of their excess change while they were watching the caravan.
“Look, Lucifer,” he said, holding up a wad of pound notes. “At least we won't freeze or starve.”
“The possibility ain't never crossed my mind,” I said, looking around for a store that sold notions and
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