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Nesi-Amen roused his nephews shortly before dawn and was soon leading the sleepy pair to the riverfront, laden with all their provisions and belongings, including several more scrolls than they had arrived with. "The boat for Alexandria leaves at sunrise and we must be on it or we’ll lose nearly a week waiting for the next one. They won’t sail during the festival days that start tomorrow."

"Where were you all night?" Marcus wanted to know. "We waited and waited."

"And are these new manuscripts you’ve brought?" Pa-Ser just realized the addition to their burden and was now wide awake.

"Wait a minute," said Marcus and stopped walking. "We can’t leave. I just remembered. You are supposed to meet the Nubian agent here tonight."

"That’s right," Pa-Ser agreed. "I caught up with him last night and he did buy a statue..."

"But not the one we are looking for," Nesi-Amen interrupted. "Hurry, now." He prodded both boys along.

"How did you know?" asked Pa-Ser.

"Because of where I was last night," Nesi-Amen said cryptically.

"And where was that?" Marcus repeated.

"I had a secret rendezvous," grinned Nesi-Amen. "I visited my old teacher, SeshmeduNeter himself."

"You what?" Marcus and Pa-Ser were astonished.

"He told me where we must go next. He didn’t say anything, of course. He’s been dead for over 40 years. But the scrolls that remained in his tomb inform us of his own mentor’s burial place near Alexandria. I was able to purchase them from the, uh, keeper of his crypt."

"The what?"

"The little tomb-robber who found him and sold everything else of value that was with him."

"Oh, no!" Pa-Ser exclaimed. "The rest of the triad!"

"We can get by without it for the time being," Nesi-Amen reassured him. "I befriended our young thief, who is really quite an accommodating fellow, and he knows who purchased the remaining two statues. In fact, before I left him, he agreed to track down and recover the one that remains here in Babylon. He did not go into how he intended to obtain it."

"That’s unbelievable!" said Marcus. "Does he think he can buy it back, or is he going to steal it for us? Why would he do that?"

"I don’t quite know, myself, boy, but he assured me he would do his best. Of course it might have had something to do with the sizable amount of gold I promised him upon our return."

"Mm. And the third statue?" mused Pa-Ser.

"A rich Greek tourist, evidently on an extended vacation. He got the Osiris. He will have to pass through Alexandria on his route, and we may be able to reach him in time. We will check all the ship registers immediately upon our arrival. He may have left on one already or he may have decided to see the sights of the city first. If not, we may be taking a trip to Rhodes or New Rome or Athens."

Marcus’ eyes lit up. "Great!"

Nesi-Amen looked up at the brightening pre-dawn sky. "I just hope the boat has not left. The docks are just around the corner here. Ah, good. They are still loading. We should just make it. Oh-oh. Look over there."

At the entrance to a dark passageway between some buildings at the edge of the shipyard, two tall, rough-looking men were menacing a third, shorter person who was trying to get past them. One of the men appeared to be wearing portions of a Roman uniform. The unlucky victim tried first to get around them, and then to rush suddenly between them into the street, but was easily restrained by the two strong pairs of arms. They were right in the path of Nesi-Amen and his nephews, who now approached cautiously. The eastern sky was now glowing pink, and they could make out more details of the struggle, including the pattern of the victim’s robes.

Nesi-Amen paused. "That looks just like the boy I left not three hours ago. What’s he..."

Marcus cut him off. "It’s the... that’s the one who attacked me yesterday! I’m sure of it!" He started to bolt towards the fracas, held back by his uncle and brother.

"It couldn’t be," Nesi-Amen said. "But it... He looks so young, now, with his face uncovered. But that robe is... Yes. I am positive it is the boy who sold me the papyri and led me to the tomb. We need to help! Quick!"

"Nemrishem!" Marcus called out as they rapidly set down their bundles and joined the fray.

His uncle looked at him strangely. "You know this boy, too?"

Marcus had no time to reply, for he had already jumped onto the back of the military-looking man and was trying to pull him to the ground. Nesi-Amen and Pa-Ser advanced on the other man, who now noticed their approach and turned his attention from his friend and their quarry. This was all the chance Nemrishem needed to strike the burly man just under the center of his ribcage with a powerful, carefully-aimed blow. Stunned by this unexpected counterattack, the former attacker doubled over as he let out a surprised gasp. Nesi-Amen and Pa-Ser now easily overpowered the man and Nemrishem lit into the soldier with all her strength, Marcus still clinging to his neck and digging his heels into his stomach. Then Nemrishem saw a loose brick on the ground, picked it up, and struck the man squarely on the head. The soldier slumped to the dirt and Marcus had to wriggle out from under his heavy, unconscious form. By now the other man was starting to regain his composure and put up a fierce struggle with Pa-Ser and Nesi-Amen. Nesi-Amen managed to get the assailant in a headlock but was gradually losing his grip. This man must have been trained as a wrestler, he thought. Pa-Ser could find nowhere to grasp as the man tried to fight off his uncle’s powerful hold. Just then Nemrishem delivered another strong blow to his solar plexus, and he weakened in Nesi-Amen’s arms. Nemrishem finished the job with the brick to his head and Nesi-Amen let the man fall to the ground. Pa-Ser, meanwhile, quickly gathered up all their bundles.

Marcus finished brushing himself off and put a hand on Nemrishem’s shoulder. "Are you all right?"

"I’m fine." Nemrishem mumbled and glanced at him as she tried to soothe her bleeding right knuckles with her lips.

"Your cheek is cut," Nesi-Amen noted. "What were they after? And what were you doing here? I thought you were going to..."

"I did. Right after you left. They caught me rummaging through his tent for the statue. I slipped away and thought I had lost them, so I came here to tell you what I had found out. You said you would be on the morning boat, so I was waiting. Then they suddenly showed up again. Then you came. Now... are they dead?"

"You poor boy," Nesi-Amen sympathized.

Marcus and Nemrishem exchanged quick glances.

"You must be exhausted," Nesi-Amen continued. "I never realized how young you really were until seeing you like this without all the scarves."

"Don’t worry about me," Nemrishem replied. "I can take care of myself." She looked at the two fallen men. "Well... most of the time, anyway. Don’t you want to hear about the statue?"

"Yes, yes! Of course! But after all this, you were my immediate worry."

Nemrishem lowered her eyes at the unaccustomed expression of concern.

"Do you have the statuette?" Pa-Ser asked. He had set down all their belongings again, as the load was growing heavy.

"It’s gone," said Nemrishem. "The soldier I sold it to shipped out a few days ago. Those two were bunked in the same tent. When I realized who they were I tried to explain how I needed to borrow or buy back the statue the previous occupant had purchased. That I had accidentally sold him the wrong one and the one he really wanted was much more valuable. They didn’t believe me, of course, and asked what I wanted it for if it was less valuable, and accused me of trying to steal whatever I could find."

"Sounds logical enough," mused Pa-Ser.

Nemrishem frowned at him. "When I got away from them I didn’t see them following, so I headed to the docks. They must have been following all along, because it was almost like they were waiting for me. When they were pushing me around, they were teasing me about my ‘soldier friend’ I would never see again because he was on his way to Britain. Do those Romans and Greeks always go lusting after little boys? Disgusting!"

Marcus again put a hand on Nemrishem’s shoulder, but she shrugged it off. "Please. I’m all worn out. I haven’t slept since yesterday at this time."

"I know exactly how you feel, said Nesi-Amen. "You must be hungry, too. I bet you have not eaten today, either." He turned to Pa-Ser. "Have we any food in our baggage?"

"We have, actually," Pa-Ser replied, starting to look through the pile of bundles. "But did you notice that our boat is pulling out? We’re not going to make it."

"Oh, no!" Marcus exclaimed. "If we don’t get to Alexandria before those people leave the country we’ll never get those other two statues. How will we find the..."

Nesi-Amen cut him off sharply. "Don’t worry about it."

Nemrishem looked up at Nesi-Amen apologetically. "I’m sorry. It’s all my fault. I have spoiled your plans after all you’ve done for me."

"I don’t know how we will be able to locate them if they leave before we get there," said Pa-Ser. "It is quite a loss, considering how far we’ve come."

"I’m afraid you’re right, my boy," said Nesi-Amen sadly.

Nemrishem looked at the ground, an empty feeling in the pit of her stomach. "I wish I could do something to make it up to you. Here...I’ll give you back the money you advanced to recover the Horus. What is so important about those statues, anyway?"

Touched at the gesture, and impressed that she remembered the god’s name, Nesi-Amen said, "No, my little vagabond. I’m sure you can use the money. You tried your best. The scrolls you provided may prove enough. Having the matching set of three statuettes just would have simplified things and saved us a great deal of additional time and trouble. Together they make up a treasure map, you see."

Now it was Marcus and Pa-Ser’s turn to be stunned. Their jaws literally dropped open. Why would their cautious uncle reveal such a thing to a common street-urchin, much less a tomb-robber!

Nemrishem was no less taken aback. "A... map? To treasure?"

Nesi-Amen was amused by the surprise on all their faces. He looked around them to be doubly certain no one else was in earshot. "You heard correctly, and no, I’m not losing my wits." He put an assuring hand on Nemrishem’s shoulder. "My boy, you have more than proved yourself as trustworthy, conscientious, industrious, and willing to take risks. We can use someone like you on our little expedition. If, as you have been implying, your tomb business has currently exhausted its resources, you have nothing to keep you here. I would like you to join us."

Again, all three young people were shocked. Marcus and Nemrishem again exchanged furtive, perplexed glances.

"Besides, I’m sure my nephews might appreciate a companion closer to their own age, not to mention help with all the baggage. Perhaps they will even teach you to read." Nemrishem stammered a moment and tried to be as formal as she could muster. "I... You are most kind, O high priest of Amen. And I have more information which you may find useful. I can also speak Greek, several Semitic dialects, and a little Latin, in addition to Egyptian. But there is something about me which you are entitled to know before you decide, for I am not exactly as you think me to be."

Marcus looked at her anxiously.

"First, I oversee a small farm north of Babylon, near Heliopolis, which provides me a modest income." She ignored the raised eyebrows and continued. "I happen to know that the landlord of a neighboring estate plans to leave for Alexandria this very day in his own small boat. Probably before midday. He is not a very wealthy man and might welcome a cargo of paying passengers on his return trip."

"My boy, you continue to amaze me," Nesi-Amen remarked.

Marcus pressed his lips together and stared at Nemrishem incredulously.

"And that’s just it..." Nemrishem paused, looking from Nesi-Amen to Pa-Ser to Marcus and back to Nesi-Amen. "I am not a boy. I am really a girl."

There was a long pause. Pa-Ser’s jaw dropped again. Nesi-Amen raised an eyebrow. Marcus only smiled at their reactions.

"My parents called me ‘Hulwa.’ They were Arabian merchants, murdered by bandits near Heliopolis when I was but seven. I quickly learned that boys moved more freely and found more means to achieve what they wanted. As soon as I changed my manner of dress and started to go by ‘Nemrishem’ or ‘Little Tiger’ it was obvious that more people took me seriously, despite my age. It got even easier a few years later when my voice got a little lower, especially after I found that tomb and could afford to buy favors. Now you three are the only people who know this," Hulwa went on. "This disguise has proved most useful for me and I should like to keep it."

A flurry of activity was going on in Nesi-Amen’s mind. Would a mere girl be up to the tasks that awaited them? Could he justify asking a girl to put up with the hardships he expected for his nephews and himself? And if both of those answers proved positive, would the presence of a young, and he had to admit, attractive girl prove distracting for two boys who had just reached manhood? He himself was accustomed to the self-denials of a priest of Amen, and he had no concerns about his ability to keep his thoughts on the matters at hand. But he was not so sure about his nephews. He was noticing, especially, Marcus’ glances in her direction. Then he thought of all his recent experiences with her, her businesslike demeanor, her apparent interest, her reputable nature, and all the attributes he had just recited to her. She seemed quite able to handle herself in the kind of difficult situations they would likely encounter. And there was just something about her attitude that appealed to him.

Hulwa was waiting for a response, unsure of what would come next. Marcus and Pa-Ser were also dying to hear what their uncle would do now.

Nesi-Amen finally spoke. "Well, young lady... I’m not really sure this will work out the way I had expected."

Nemrishem gave a resigned, if disappointed sigh. It was what she had expected.

"But," Nesi-Amen went on, "I believe you will find Alexandria even more of a challenge for your abilities than the streets of Babylon. My offer has not changed."

Hulwa’s face lit up with excitement.

Nesi-Amen raised a forefinger and glanced at each of his nephews. "Provided, that is, that you all can concentrate on our tasks and not be preoccupied with... other things youngsters seem to be obsessed with."

"Hunh!" Pa-Ser snorted to himself. "I have plenty to keep me busy," he said.

"You needn’t worry, sir," Hulwa said enthusiastically. "Neither one of them is my type, anyway."

"Thanks a lot--Hulwa," Marcus huffed. Maybe after living together in close quarters for several weeks she would change her mind, he thought. Sure she would. He knew it. Meanwhile, he supposed, she would just have to be the little sister he never had.

"That is reassuring," Nesi-Amen said to Hulwa. "Now, before your Roman friends wake up over there, help Marcus and Pa-Ser gather up all these bundles and let us find your Alexandrian boatman."

Hulwa looked nervously towards the prostrate bodies, which were just starting to stir. "Of course. His name is Apollonius. I have only spoken with him two or three times. He rarely visits Heliopolis, but I just saw him yesterday. He will be stopping at the shops by the docks here for supplies before leaving. It should not be long."

They hurried closer to the riverfront and into a protective niche between two buildings overlooking the docks, settling into a small, shaded portico.

Nesi-Amen pulled out a strip of papyrus and began to write in a rapid hieratic script. Then he turned to Pa-Ser. "We should still have time for you to bring this note to Mer-Nub and give him our regrets about not being able to meet tonight. It may be months before we can return to Philae, but assure him that we wish to see him then. If he stays here for the festival the rest of this week, perhaps he can prepare a report for the temple and fill us in on how well it was done. Just be sure to be back here by midday." He handed the note to his older nephew, who took it and disappeared down the same sidestreet he had followed the previous night. "Marcus, why don’t you take out a tablet and teach Hulwa the alphabet? It will give you good practice, and will instruct her. In addition it will provide an unexpected and, thus, very likely overlooked tableau of schoolmaster and pupil, should our Roman strong-men reappear searching for the ruffians who did them in. I shall don my priestly garb to complete the deception. Meanwhile we shall still keep a lookout for this Apollonius and his craft."

Hulwa’s thoughts were divided between learning her letters and making certain she did not miss the arrival of Apollonius. She had always been fascinated by the concept of writing, but it was very hard to concentrate just now with all that had so recently occurred. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed a ragged figure lingering by the waterfront. It seemed to be searching for someone or something. A few moments later it turned her direction and started to approach. She quickly looked down at her writing tablet. When she cast another furtive glance at the figure, she recognized Barud. He saw her, as well, and quickened his pace.

"Nemrishem! Is that you? By the gods, what are you doing? I’ve been looking everywhere! They have Gamal!"

Nemrishem stood up. "What?! Who? How did it happen? Where is he?"

"I was trying to find him on the docks last night." Barud spoke rapidly and with great agitation. "I wanted to find out if he sold that statue and I was gonna tell him of the payment I got from the farm worker we talked to earlier. You know, the one you loaned all that money to and never got any payments from?"

Nemrishem frowned as Barud continued. "We really need that money right now. Anyway, just as I get to the docks I see Gamal and he’s being hauled off by some official or law officer threatening him with terrible things." Barud suddenly noticed Marcus staring at him and realized the two of them were not alone. He lowered his voice and leaned towards Nemrishem, cupping his hand to his mouth. "It was hard to hear all they were saying—I had to hide behind some wine jars--but it sounded like part of the gold trading crackdown. I told him to be careful. So did you. Now he’s in a Roman prison."

The news both disturbed and annoyed Nemrishem. "That Gamal. I knew this would happen eventually. He’s never cautious enough in any of his dealings."

"What are we gonna do? We’ve… and what are you doing here? What happened to your cheek? What is all this? Who’s he?"

Nemrishem glanced at Marcus and back to Barud, her mind racing. Why did this have to happen now? She looked, somewhat guiltily, over to Nesi-Amen, who had just re-entered the secluded portico, and then turned back to Barud again.

Nesi-Amen approached enthusiastically. "So, is this our boatman?"

Nesi-Amen’s voice made Nemrishem want to slink away unnoticed, to be anywhere but here. Knowing that was impossible, she braced herself and muttered, "No. It’s… uh… an associate of mine. A business associate." She looked down.

"I see," Nesi-Amen said knowingly with an almost imperceptible raise of his eyebrow. Marcus looked taken aback when he realized she meant a tomb-robbing associate.

"Who is he?" Barud demanded. "What’s going on here?" He eyed Nesi-Amen and Marcus suspiciously and gave a questioning look to Nemrishem.

Nemrishem regained her composure. All at once she knew what to say, and her old spark rekindled. "Nesi-Amen, high priest of the ancient gods, this is Barud, one of my partners." As she spoke she tried to signal Nesi-Amen behind Barud’s back.

"Ah. Charmed." Nesi-Amen gave a brief bow, and as soon as he saw Barud turn to Nemrishem with an even greater look of confusion, he winked at her. "Marcus, I need you outside for a while. Follow me. We’ll be back shortly, boys. Don’t forget about our river pilot, Nemrishem." With that, he strode briskly out into the street and towards one of the docks, Marcus scurrying bewilderedly behind him and glancing periodically over his shoulder back to the pair in the portico.

When they were out of sight, Nemrishem checked to make sure no one else was near the portico, then pulled Barud into a back corner, and spoke in a hushed tone. "Now keep calm, or you might spoil everything. They’re treasure hunters—big time." Barud’s eyes widened. "I think they’re onto something huge--bigger than we can imagine, and I talked them into including me in their activities. I have certain talents they seem to need right now. We are to leave for Alexandria today. Of course I expect a fair share of the take, and then I’ll come back to our headquarters for our split."

Barud could hardly contain his excitement. He was already mentally calculating his own share. "That’s fantastic! We can finally… but what about Gamal?"

"Yes. Gamal. Well, it’s been my experience that when the police suspect someone is just a small part of a bigger organization they will release him and try to follow him to the rest of the gang. That makes it even better for me to leave right now. You will have to watch over the estate for a while. I don’t know how long I’ll be gone. You always wanted to be running things, anyway, didn’t you?"

"Well, I…"

"You are in charge until I get back. Keep posted on Gamal. When and if they release him, go to him right away and find some new place to meet. You know he will head for Babylon or the estate as soon as he gets out, and we certainly don’t want the law knowing all our habits."

"But I..."

"You know how to survive on your own, and you’ll have quite a nice place to live so long as you’re careful. You also know the basics about managing the farmlands. It may be months or even a year or more before I get back, so use your best judgment and everything should go smoothly. Your biggest job will be keeping track of Gamal--both before and after they let him go. I know you can do it. Now, go, and good luck!"

"I suppose you’re right, but how will I..."

"I will contact you at the estate as soon as I return, so be sure to check in from time to time. With luck, we’ll all be much richer. Until then, it’s best for all of us if we separate until things cool down. It might be a good idea if you explain that to Gamal, too. Otherwise I might have to look in the Roman prisons for both of you."

"You don’t have to worry about me." Barud had been somewhat reluctant at first, but was starting to relish the thought of running everything by himself--and still have the expectation of a new treasure source from Nemrishem.

Nemrishem could see the shift in Barud’s attitude and felt a sense of relief. "Good. Find out where Gamal is and hire a boy to watch for his release. Then you can wait at the estate and take care of business in the meantime."

"Of course. That’s what I was planning to do," Gamal lied, realizing that was exactly what he was going to do. He was developing a feel for the range of his new responsibility and found that he liked it.

"You’d better get going. I have absolutely no idea where I will wind up or when I will be back, and that’s probably just as well for you in case Gamal talks and the Romans come around asking questions." She led Barud out to the street. "Now take care of things, and I’ll see you... sometime. Good luck. ‘Life, prosperity, and health,’ as the ancients would say."

"Thanks. Good luck to you, too. And everything else." Barud did not bother to ask how Nemrishem knew what the ancients would say. He hurried off, happy to be on his own, and experiencing a strangely satisfying new mixture of feelings--power, freedom, danger, fear, hope, and exhilaration.

Nesi-Amen had observed Barud’s departure from the corner of his eye and steered Marcus back to the portico, where Hulwa now leaned against a pillar fanning herself in the late morning heat.

Marcus hurried over to her. "What did he want? What did you tell him? Where is he going?"

Hulwa gave him an incredulous look. "What business is that of yours, boy?"

"I only..." Marcus was embarrassed and turned away. Why did he have to make it sound so demanding? He was only curious. And besides, his uncle had a right to know.

Nesi-Amen approached just then, noticing Marcus sit sullenly and stare at the tablet he’d been going over several minutes earlier with Hulwa. He looked at Hulwa with a questioning expression.

"Oh, I just scolded him for being nosy. He’ll be fine. But thank the gods I got rid of Barud so easily. I was afraid I might have to stay here, after all. That’s the last thing I want to do right now, even though I was feeling kind of guilty for abandoning them like this. My other partner was arrested last night. What a hopeless case! I just put Barud in charge of our operations and convinced him it would be best if I left for a while. I happened to mention I might return with some treasure and he almost forgot about poor Gamal. Now he’s happy to be running things I used to take care of and I can go off with you and have some real fun. I wouldn’t be surprised if he hopes I never do come back, treasure or not."

"You’re a slick one, child," Nesi-Amen said approvingly. "I’m impressed."

Again Hulwa blushed with pleasure at the compliment. She wished he wouldn’t keep thinking of her as a child, though. She was about to tell him as much when she saw Apollonius approaching the dock. "There’s our ride to the delta," she said, and then caught sight of Pa-Ser hurrying towards them. "And here comes your other nephew. I’ll run down and arrange everything. Bring all your things down when I wave my arm."