8 Help from Anubis

Chapter Eight HELP FROM ANUBIS Gustavo crouched low to the ground. He was hidden behind a throne, with Nebet marching toward him. He could see Kiki and Bek hiding behind piles of jewels. The light from Bek's torch flickered over their worried faces. "Where are you?" growled Nebet. Gustavo put his hands together with his

thumbs sticking up, and held them upright. The torchlight threw the shadow made by his hands onto the wall in front of Nebet. It was shaped just like the head of a jackal. Gustavo moved his hands forward. The shadow grew larger. Nebet stopped and stared, her eyes wide. "Anubis!" she said with a gasp.

Gustavo moved his fingers like a pair of scissors, so that the jackal seemed to open and close its jaws. Nebet shook so hard her shawl fell from her shoulders. "Please don't hurt me, Anubis!" she shrieked. "I wasn't going to steal anything, honestly!" She turned and fled. Gustavo heard her scramble over the rubble pile, and then her pounding feet echoed through the tunnel as she raced for the exit. After a couple of moments, the inside of the pyramid was

silent. "It worked!" Gustavo shouted. "She's gone!" The cheers of the three friends echoed off the stone walls. Gustavo and Kiki high-fived. "Yay!" shouted Kiki. Bek looked confused, then stuck his hand up for a high-five as well. He still looked confused after he'd done it! "Let's seal off that chamber before any of the robbers come back," said Gustavo. Kiki giggled. "If they dare!" They carefully placed the shabti figures back where they belonged. Then Kiki showed Gustavo and Bek how to rig up pulleys and levers. It was hard work, but soon they'd shifted almost all the rubble they needed to

the doorway. "Let's get the mortar ready," said Gustavo. Kiki grabbed the sack, then stopped. "What's up?" Gustavo asked. "Water," Kiki said in a small voice. "We need water to mix it and we didn't bring any." Gustavo groaned. "Oh no!" But Bek took a stone jar from his bag. "Here," he said. Gustavo grinned with relief. "Excellent!

Thanks!" "It's a good thing you sneaked into the pyramid too, Bek," said Kiki. "Definitely," said Gustavo. "This wouldn't have worked without you!" They stacked the rubble across the doorway, using the mortar to stick the rocks together. Gradually, Pharaoh Khufu's sarcophagus and his magnificent treasures disappeared from view behind the wall they were building. Between them, Kiki and Bek held Gustavo up on their shoulders so he could slot the last rock into place. He took a last glimpse of the treasure chamber. I hope no