CHAPTER 12: GLADSTONE’S WORK

‘That,’ George said, ‘is a lot of treasure.’

‘Amina! Children! Hello, hello! What a pleasure it is to see you again!’ The professor had straightened, turning towards them. He beamed at them, his eyes twinkling behind his spectacles.

‘Professor, I hope you don’t mind me bringing them,’ Amina said apologetically. ‘They begged me to let them come.’ She tousled Khalid’s hair affectionately.

‘Oh, not a problem at all,’ Gladstone said. ‘You know I simply love to see the next generations learning about the rich history of Egypt.’

‘Is all of that real?’ William said bluntly, pointing at the piles of gold.

‘Why, of course it is. This treasure has all been found in the surrounding tombs. Ancient Egyptians used to bury their dead with mounds of gold, you know. They believed they could take it into the afterlife with them! Although there’s not nearly as much of it as there should be. Much of it has been stolen by grave robbers over the years.’ He sighed and shook his head regretfully. Then, he brightened. ‘Luckily for us, much of the most valuable items have been left.’

‘What could be more valuable than gold?’ Mimi said doubtfully.

‘This, young lady,’ Gladstone said, holding up a shard of pottery.

‘But . . . but that’s just clay,’ Leah said.

Gladstone nodded. ‘That’s correct. However, this little shard of clay tells us so much about the day-to-day life of Ancient Egypt. It gives us a wealth of information and because it’s not considered to have any monetary value, thieves tend to leave it behind. All the better for us!’

‘Did you find all of this stuff yourself?’ George said.

Gladstone gave a bellow of laughter so loud that his moustache quivered. ‘Oh no,’ he said. ‘Certainly not! I’m far too old to be digging around in tombs any more. My creaky knees wouldn’t be able to take it. The left one in particular gives me quite a bit of bother these days.’ His eyes grew cloudy as he looked off into the distance, lost in memories. ‘Once, I was one of the best Egyptologists around. Admired and respected. But no longer. Now, I leave all the exciting excavations for the younger generation, like Amina here. Or our current excavation leader, Dr Simons. Nowadays, I spend more time rifling through paperwork than I do shifting dirt.’

‘I do my fair share of the admin, Professor!’ Amina piped up with a half-smile.

‘Yes, yes, that is correct, my dear.’ Gladstone leaned forward conspiratorially. ‘Amina is working on a big project at the moment. One that could change everything. Of course, she won’t share her secrets with me.’ Gladstone’s voice was teasing, but Leah thought she saw a hint of steeliness in his eyes.

‘Who built the pyramids, Professor?’ George asked curiously.

‘What a wonderful question!’ Gladstone clapped his hands. ‘You might be surprised to know that the pyramids were not constructed under the orders of just one person, but three. Each of these monoliths is, in fact, a tomb for a great pharaoh. The first – and the largest – was built by Pharaoh Khufu, and the second by his son, Khafre. The third was built by Pharaoh Menkaure, and although it’s much smaller than the first two, it’s still very impressive. Of course, the pharaohs didn’t build the pyramids themselves . . .’

As Professor Gladstone launched into an enthusiastic lecture on the history of the pyramids, Leah couldn’t help but let her attention drift. She walked towards the gold on the table, wondering if it was as heavy as it looked. As she reached out a hand to pick up a coin, she noticed a stack of papers sitting off to the side. Leah leaned forward, peering at the title.

‘“The Mystery of Hatshepsut’s Lost Amulet: Finally Uncovered”,’ she read under her breath. Underneath the title was Professor Gladstone’s name. That couldn’t be right. Amina was the one trying to find the Pharaoh’s Fortune, not Professor Gladstone. Professor Gladstone thought the amulet was a myth, didn’t he? Leah was about to uncover the rest of the paper when—

A stack of handwritten papers, with the top one titled The Mystery of Hatshepsut's Lost Amulet: Finally Uncovered, by Professor Charles Gladstone.

‘Leah!’

Leah jumped up at the sound of George’s voice. She spun around and tried not to look guilty.

‘What’s going on?’ Leah asked.

‘Didn’t you hear?’ George said. Her friend was practically hopping from foot to foot in his excitement.

‘Hear what?’ Leah tilted her head to one side.

‘The pyramids, my dear child,’ Professor Gladstone said. ‘You’re going to get your first look at them up close!’