Read Online Ramose and the Tomb Robbers by Carole Wilkinson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Carole Wilkinson
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other tombs close to the pyramid,” Hori said to Ramose.
“It doesn’t say anything about other tombs on the papyrus,” said Ramose trying to put Hori off. The last thing he wanted was to have to go down into another tomb.
“I found the entrance to one yesterday while you were in the pyramid. You wouldn’t lie to me about what’s in the papyrus, would you?”
“No. I told you, the papyrus is just about the pyramid.”
“Well, you and your friend are going down into this tomb anyway, just as soon as it gets dark.”
“You better let us out of here immediately,” said Hapu. “You don’t realise who Ramose really is.”
“He’s an apprentice scribe,” said Intef looking puzzled.
“No he isn’t. That’s just a disguise,” replied Hapu. “He’s Prince Ramose, Pharaoh’s son.”
“I’m not stupid, you know,” said Intef. “Prince Ramose died last year, everyone knows that.”
“We were thinking of robbing his tomb, but there were still too many people in the valley,” said Hori.
“He didn’t really die. It was all a trick. This is him.”
Hori nodded. “I’m actually a vizier. Did you know that? And Intef is a high priest. We’re all in disguise.” The tomb robbers all laughed at the joke. Seth suddenly let out a yell.
“There’s a rat in the food bag,” he said throwing the bag across the room.
“Is it alive?” asked Intef.
“I think it’s dead.”
Hori went over and prodded the bag. He opened it cautiously with a stick. Inside the bag, among the temple offerings that they had stolen, was a dead rat.
“It must have been poisoned by the tomb bread,” said Intef.
“It didn’t die of poisoning. Something has killed it. See? It’s bleeding.”
The rat was still limp and bleeding from a wound in the neck.
“Do spirits have teeth?” asked Seth anxiously.
“Don’t worry about it. Let’s get going.”
Intef grumbled all the way to the pyramid. “I’m not going down into another tomb. I hurt my ankle last night.”
When they reached the pyramid, they walked around to the western side. Beyond the wall around the pyramid, outside the row of trees, there was an untended rocky area. Hori and Seth went over to a pile of rocks and started throwing them aside.
“Don’t just stand there,” Hori said to Ramose and Hapu. “Help.” He turned to Intef. “You too.”
They moved the pile of rocks and underneath they found a flat stone slab. Hori handed Intef the lever and the big man lifted the slab and pulled it aside.
Ramose smelt the same strange smell of ancient air as he had at the pyramid. He held up a lamp and looked down the shaft. It was a sheer drop.
“There’s no ramp,” he said. “The shaft’s at least sixty cubits deep. How will you get down?”
“I’m not going down,” said Hori. “You two are.”
Hapu looked alarmed. “By ourselves?”
“No, don’t worry, I’ll send Seth down to hold your hand.”
Seth didn’t look happy. “Do I have to go down?”
“Intef’s hurt his ankle. It’s your turn to go down.”
Ramose didn’t bother arguing. He slung the bag containing tools and lamp oil over his shoulder. Intef tied the rope around Ramose’s waist. The big man took a firm hold of the rope and braced himself. He nodded to Ramose. Ramose heard Hapu gasp as he stepped out into the dark hole, trusting the weight of his body to Intef’s strong hands. He swung free. The big tomb robber grunted as he slowly lowered Ramose down the shaft. As he descended into the coolness of the tomb, Ramose felt the same dreamlike calm come over him as he had when he had entered the pyramid. He was getting used to being in tombs. It was almost as if he preferred them. He hadn’t seen daylight in three days. He’d forgotten what it was like. Darkness was normal.
Hapu was lowered down next and then Seth. The boys held out their lamps to see what was around them.
“What do you see?” Hori’s voice echoed down the shaft.
“Is there gold?” Intef
“It doesn’t say anything about other tombs on the papyrus,” said Ramose trying to put Hori off. The last thing he wanted was to have to go down into another tomb.
“I found the entrance to one yesterday while you were in the pyramid. You wouldn’t lie to me about what’s in the papyrus, would you?”
“No. I told you, the papyrus is just about the pyramid.”
“Well, you and your friend are going down into this tomb anyway, just as soon as it gets dark.”
“You better let us out of here immediately,” said Hapu. “You don’t realise who Ramose really is.”
“He’s an apprentice scribe,” said Intef looking puzzled.
“No he isn’t. That’s just a disguise,” replied Hapu. “He’s Prince Ramose, Pharaoh’s son.”
“I’m not stupid, you know,” said Intef. “Prince Ramose died last year, everyone knows that.”
“We were thinking of robbing his tomb, but there were still too many people in the valley,” said Hori.
“He didn’t really die. It was all a trick. This is him.”
Hori nodded. “I’m actually a vizier. Did you know that? And Intef is a high priest. We’re all in disguise.” The tomb robbers all laughed at the joke. Seth suddenly let out a yell.
“There’s a rat in the food bag,” he said throwing the bag across the room.
“Is it alive?” asked Intef.
“I think it’s dead.”
Hori went over and prodded the bag. He opened it cautiously with a stick. Inside the bag, among the temple offerings that they had stolen, was a dead rat.
“It must have been poisoned by the tomb bread,” said Intef.
“It didn’t die of poisoning. Something has killed it. See? It’s bleeding.”
The rat was still limp and bleeding from a wound in the neck.
“Do spirits have teeth?” asked Seth anxiously.
“Don’t worry about it. Let’s get going.”
Intef grumbled all the way to the pyramid. “I’m not going down into another tomb. I hurt my ankle last night.”
When they reached the pyramid, they walked around to the western side. Beyond the wall around the pyramid, outside the row of trees, there was an untended rocky area. Hori and Seth went over to a pile of rocks and started throwing them aside.
“Don’t just stand there,” Hori said to Ramose and Hapu. “Help.” He turned to Intef. “You too.”
They moved the pile of rocks and underneath they found a flat stone slab. Hori handed Intef the lever and the big man lifted the slab and pulled it aside.
Ramose smelt the same strange smell of ancient air as he had at the pyramid. He held up a lamp and looked down the shaft. It was a sheer drop.
“There’s no ramp,” he said. “The shaft’s at least sixty cubits deep. How will you get down?”
“I’m not going down,” said Hori. “You two are.”
Hapu looked alarmed. “By ourselves?”
“No, don’t worry, I’ll send Seth down to hold your hand.”
Seth didn’t look happy. “Do I have to go down?”
“Intef’s hurt his ankle. It’s your turn to go down.”
Ramose didn’t bother arguing. He slung the bag containing tools and lamp oil over his shoulder. Intef tied the rope around Ramose’s waist. The big man took a firm hold of the rope and braced himself. He nodded to Ramose. Ramose heard Hapu gasp as he stepped out into the dark hole, trusting the weight of his body to Intef’s strong hands. He swung free. The big tomb robber grunted as he slowly lowered Ramose down the shaft. As he descended into the coolness of the tomb, Ramose felt the same dreamlike calm come over him as he had when he had entered the pyramid. He was getting used to being in tombs. It was almost as if he preferred them. He hadn’t seen daylight in three days. He’d forgotten what it was like. Darkness was normal.
Hapu was lowered down next and then Seth. The boys held out their lamps to see what was around them.
“What do you see?” Hori’s voice echoed down the shaft.
“Is there gold?” Intef
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