Read Online Emily and the Lost City of Urgup by Gerry Hotchkiss - Free Book Online Page A

as a child. “He became the ruler of Egypt for over thirty years,” said Professor Dasam. “During those years, the height of Egyptian power, he built many monuments including the famous sandstone temples at Abu Simbel. Many believe he was the pharaoh during the exodus of the Jewish people from Egypt,” he went on.
    Ramesses II didn’t look like a child. Behind him stood an enormous falcon. “That is the god, Hurun,” said Professor Dasam. “He was a Canaanite god depicted here in the form of a falcon. The disc above the child is Ra, the sun. Mes stands for child as it is written here, stands for the plants he is holding in his hand.” Emily had heard of Canaan in her Bible, but she never thought of early gods being shown as animals or birds. Hurun looked very protective of Ramesses.
    “Falconry is a very ancient tradition in Arabia,” Professor Dasam noted. “These birds are raptors, a type of hawk that is trained to obey his handler and fly at his command. Only the female falcon is used. She will soar above other smaller birds and animals to kill them for the food she needs for her family or for the handler’s family. It may seem cruel to you, Emily, but the falcon strikes so quickly there is no pain and the food is always put to good use.”
    It was time to return to the Lost City. Kadar and Hadar reported to the Professors that the thieves had been freed from jail before they could intercept them. “They may try and return to the Lost City,” Hadar advised. “Then your job is to watch over Emily at all costs,” said Dasam. “You shall be my Hurun,” Emily added to the surprise of Hadar and Kadar and delight of Professor Dasam.
     

CHAPTER TWELVE: We Have a Plan

    IT HAD BEEN several weeks since the thieves had lodged at the Old Oasis Inn at the outskirts of Cairo. The Innkeeper was demanding payment for the rooms. Smiley Wiley told his buddies, “we’ve got to get some money right away.” “How, boss?” asked Nutts. ““We’ll sell our jalopy and steal that big roadster the professor came in.” “But the driver is always there polishing the brass hub cap and lights,” added Rutts. “We’ll distract him,” said Smiley.
    Smiley put on his best English cricket clothes; white trousers, white sneakers and a white shirt with the cuffs rolled up above the elbows just as he had seen the upper class public school boys wear them for this English sport. He approached the driver. ““I say old chap, could you spare a few minutes to help me?” he asked in his best attempt at an upper class diction, “I seem to have misplaced my engine crank.” The driver was very obliging. He took the crank from the roadster and followed Smiley beyond a building nearby. As he turned the corner of the building, Butts struck him a blow on the head with a large stone and he fell down unconscious. The thieves took the crank and his cap and sped back to the roadster and drove off to pay the Innkeeper.
    “Why pay the innkeeper?” asked Butts.
    “You may need a hiding place again, so never cheat another cheat,” answered Smiley. When they had paid their bill at the Inn, the four thieves took off for the Lost City in their new roadster. “What a breeze,” said Rutts. “Oh for the life of an English gent,” said Butts. “Can I sit up front with you?” asked Nutts to Smiley who was driving. “No, Nutthead, can’t you see I’m wearing the drivers cap so’s people will think you’re swells,” answered Smiley.
    When the luggage for the professors, Emily and her guards was brought where the roadster had been parked, there was nothing there. Where was the roadster and where was the driver. They heard a low moan nearby and upon inspection they found the driver lying next to a nearby building. He slowly sat up and then lay down again. “Look,” said Emily, “there’s a big lump the size of an orange on the side of his head.”
    “Easy, easy,” said Professor Witherspoon as they helped the driver to his feet.