The Missing Mummy

by Ron Roy

  “I have just started to read your books. They are great! My favorite thing to do is read.”

  —Katherine S.

  “I love your books. My mom and dad have read all of them to me, and I can’t wait for the other ones to come from the mail lady. Sometimes we pretend we’re Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose and we solve mysteries, like ’Where is Dad’s wallet?’ and ’Where are Mom’s glasses?’”

  —Julia C.

  “I think your books are cool.”

  —Amy H.

  “Hanna is fascinated by your books. We just moved to the U.S.A. Hanna couldn’t read English before we came here, but thanks to writers like you, she has become very good at it.”

  —Mrs. S.

  “My class has really enjoyed your A to Z Mysteries. Children who normally dislike reading have been reading your books and grinning.”

  —Diane T. D.

  This one is for Mitchell Sanders, with love.

  —R.R.

  To my Mummy and Daddy.

  —J.S.G.

  “Mummy Monday at the museum?” Josh said. He peered over Dink’s shoulder at the Sunday newspaper. “So what’s the next day Tammy Tuesday?”

  It was summer vacation, and Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose were lying on the lawn behind Dink’s house. Josh’s dog, Pal, was snoozing under a tree.

  Ruth Rose took the paper and read the article quickly. “No, Josh, the next day is about dinosaurs,” she said. “It’s called Tyrannosaurus Tuesday.”

  “The museum is having programs for kids all week,” Dink explained.

  “So what happens on Wednesday?” Josh asked.

  “Kids go to the Connecticut River and study plant and animal life,” Ruth Rose said. “It’s called Wet Wednesday.”

  Dink took the newspaper back from Ruth Rose. “And the next day, you get to make a horror movie—that’s Thrilling Thursday. The last day is Frog Friday. Each kid gets to study a frog.”

  “So let’s sign up!” Josh said. “How much does it cost?”

  Dink scanned the page. “A dollar for each program,” he said. He looked at Josh and Ruth Rose. “That’s five dollars for all five days.”

  “I don’t have five bucks,” Ruth Rose said.

  “Me neither,” said Josh. “But I know how we can earn it.”

  “How?” Dink asked.

  “My dad’s been trying to get the barn cleaned out,” he said. “I bet he’d give us the money if we did it for him.”

  “Great idea!” Dink said.

  The kids ran to Josh’s house and spent the rest of Sunday working. Brian and Bradley Josh’s two little brothers, helped by playing with Pal.

  Josh’s dad gave each of the kids seven dollars for their hard work.

  After lunch the next day, Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose got on a bus to Hartford. Fifteen minutes later, the bus dropped them off on Main Street, in front of the Wadsworth Museum.

  Across the street was a bank. A digital sign over the bank’s entrance said MONDAY, JULY 10, 82 DEGREES. Then the sign flashed the time: It was nearly two o’clock!

  “Come on, guys,” Dink said. “We only have a few minutes to sign up.”

  They ran up the museum’s front steps and through the wide doors. Inside, the museum was air-conditioned and quiet. The floor was made of marble. Tapestries and large paintings covered the white walls.

  “Welcome to Mummy Monday,” said a woman standing behind a counter.

  Across the lobby, a bunch of other kids and a few grownups were already waiting. Ruth Rose took a map from a rack just inside the door. Then the kids walked over to join the group.

  They each gave the woman behind the counter a dollar.

  “I wonder where they keep the mummies,” Josh whispered.

  At exactly two o’clock, a door behind the counter opened and a tall man walked out. He was wearing a tan jacket and shorts, knee socks, laced boots, and a white helmet.

  “I’m Dr. Harris Tweed,” the man said. “Today, I will take you on a journey to ancient Egypt.”

  Dr. Tweed’s face, hands, and knees were deeply tanned. Dink wondered how much time he had spent in the Egyptian desert.

  “Who’s ready to follow me into a tomb?” Dr. Tweed asked. He smiled, showing big white teeth that made his tanned face even darker.

  “We’re going in a tomb?” Josh muttered. “I think I want my dollar back!”

  “Shh,” Dink whispered.

  Dr. Tweed’s eyes narrowed. “If you’re afraid of mummies, now’s the time to speak up.”

  “Ugh!” a girl with red hair said. “Won’t the mummies smell?”

  “Today, you will learn precisely why mummies don’t smell,” said Dr. Tweed. “Now please, follow me to the tomb!”

  They walked to an arch at the rear of the lobby. Through the arch was a room with rows of benches facing a blank stone wall. The wall was built of large, flat rocks fitted closely together. Dink wondered how the museum people got those huge rocks inside.

  “The tomb—and the mummies—are on the other side of this wall,” Dr. Tweed said. “Before we go inside, I want to tell you a little about how these people died, and how they became mummies.”

  He pointed to the benches. “Please be seated.”

  “Let’s sit in front,” Dink said, heading for a bench.

  When everyone was seated, Dr. Tweed began speaking in a deep voice. “Close your eyes and imagine you are standing on the bank of the River Nile four thousand years ago. Feel the sun on your back. See the river as it flows by. Hear the oxen bellow as they labor in the fields.”

  A hush fell over the group.

  “Suddenly, an earthquake shakes the ground!” Dr. Tweed shouted.

  Dink’s eyes popped open as goose bumps crept up his arms. All the kids opened their eyes and stared at Dr. Tweed.

  “Later,” he continued, “the survivors prepare the dead for burial. Three of the people who died in that earthquake are with us today.”

  Dr. Tweed walked over to the wall and pressed his hand against one of the stones. Immediately, the wall slid open.

  Through the opening, Dink could see a dim room. The stone floor was partly covered with sand and gravel.

  “What you see is the burial tomb,” Dr. Tweed said quietly. “Come in, please, but speak only in whispers and touch nothing.”

  “This is so great!” Ruth Rose whispered as they entered the tomb.

  The tomb was cold, and Dink shivered. Old pots and farming tools were scattered around the floor. Strange-looking symbols were painted on the walls.

  Off to one side were three stone coffins.

  One of the coffins was lying on a stone table. The other two were leaning upright against the walls to either side. Dink noticed that the coffin on the table was smaller than the other two.

  “You are standing in an actual Egyptian tomb,” Dr. Tweed said in a hushed voice. “It was brought here in pieces and then reconstructed.”

  He pointed at the coffins. “An ancient Egyptian coffin is called a sarcophagus. Each sarcophagus holds a mummy. In a moment, I will open the lids. But first, take a moment to appreciate the fine artwork.”

  On each lid, jewels and gold had been used to create a mask. The faces look peaceful, almost happy, thought Dink.

  “The Egyptians believed that people who died would need their money in the next life,” Dr. Tweed said. “So rich people were often buried near their wealth.”

  He pointed through an arch into another room. “That is the treasure chamber,” he said. “You’ll get a chance to look in there after we view the mummies.”

  Ruth Rose raised her hand. “How come one of the coffins is so small?” she asked.

  Dr. Tweed walked over to the sarcophagus on the table. “This sarcophagus contains a child mummy,” he exp
lained. “The little boy died with his parents, who now stand beside him for eternity.”

  Dr. Tweed placed his hand on a standing sarcophagus. “This is the boy’s mother,” he said. Using both hands, he swung the lid open.

  “And the father.” Dr. Tweed opened the other standing sarcophagus.

  Without saying another word, he removed the lid of the smallest sarcophagus and leaned it against the wall.

  The kids stared at the three mummies. Each was covered with some kind of cloth, yellowed with age. Dink realized that Dr. Tweed was right—there was no smell at all.

  “Each mummy is wrapped in strips of linen,” Dr. Tweed said. “Beneath the cloth-”

  Suddenly, a woman with long blond hair who was wearing a baggy dress darted forward. She snatched the child and raced out of the tomb.

  “Stop!” Dr. Tweed shouted, bolting after the woman.

  Everyone in the room began talking at once. Before the kids could figure out what to do, Dr. Tweed hurried back into the tomb. “Quiet, please,” he said. “Um, it seems Mummy Monday will have to be postponed. We’ll have it tomorrow.”

  “But tomorrow is Tyrannosaurus Tuesday!” someone said.

  Dr. Tweed looked flustered. His tanned face had turned pale, and one of his eyelids was twitching. “Yes, of course, you’re right,” he said. “I’ll schedule another mummy day for next week. Now you’ll have to leave the tomb. I’m very sorry.”

  Kids mumbled, “No fair” as they filed out. Dr. Tweed stepped aside to let them pass.

  “Why would anyone steal a mummy?” Josh asked as he, Dink, and Ruth Rose followed the other kids.

  “I read somewhere that gold and jewels were wrapped up with the bodies,” Ruth Rose said. “Maybe that mummy has valuable stuff inside the cloth.”

  “You mean that woman is gonna unwrap the mummy?” Josh asked. “Gross!”

  Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose were the last kids out of the tomb. A moment later, Dr. Tweed hurried past. Behind them, the tomb door closed with a rumble.

  “This is so bogus,” Josh said. “Should we just go home?”

  “I have to use the rest room first,” Ruth Rose said.

  The kids found the rest rooms around the corner from the tomb. The door to the ladies’ room opened, and a smartly dressed woman with short dark hair stepped out. She was carrying a briefcase and talking on a cell phone.

  “We’ll wait for you here,” Dink said as Ruth Rose slipped into the rest room.

  “I wonder what the thief did with the mummy,” Josh said. “I mean, she couldn’t exactly carry it down Main Street!”

  Suddenly, the rest room door crashed open. Ruth Rose stood there looking as if she’d seen a ghost.

  “Ruth Rose, what’s the matter?” Dink said.

  “G-get Dr. Tweed,” she answered. “It’s in the rest room!”

  “What’s in the rest room?” Josh asked.

  Ruth Rose took a deep breath. “The missing mummy!” she said.

  Dr. Tweed was standing by the front doors talking with two police officers. Dink dashed over to them. “Excuse me,” he said, his mouth suddenly dry.

  “Can we help you?” one of the officers asked. The name tag on her shirt read S. WASHINGTON.

  “My friend found the mummy in the ladies’ room!” Dink said.

  “Show us,” said the other officer. His name tag read P. PETERS.

  Everyone rushed over to where Josh and Ruth Rose were standing outside the rest rooms.

  “Will you come inside with me?” Officer Washington asked Ruth Rose.

  Ruth Rose and the officer walked into the rest room. A few seconds later, they both came out again.

  “Dr. Tweed, will you step in with me, please?” Officer Washington said.

  Dr. Tweed followed the officer back inside the rest room.

  “So where was it?” Josh asked Ruth Rose.

  “You know those tables they have so parents can change a baby’s diaper?” she said. “It was right there on the table!”

  “In plain sight?” Dink asked.

  Ruth Rose nodded. “At first I thought it was a big doll, so I took a closer look….”

  “Yuck!” Josh said.

  The rest room door opened again. Officer Washington walked out, with Dr. Tweed behind her. He was carrying the child mummy in his arms.

  “The mummy seems to be undamaged,” Dr. Tweed said. “But I’ll have to examine it in my office.”

  Dr. Tweed and the two police officers crossed the lobby and disappeared through the door behind the counter.

  “I guess we might as well go home,” Dink said.

  “Some Mummy Monday,” Ruth Rose grumbled.

  “Look, there’s a cafeteria,” Josh said. “Let’s get something to drink.”

  The kids entered the large room, paid for cold drinks, and sat at a round table.

  “I wonder where the thief went after she left the mummy in the rest room,” Ruth Rose said as she sipped her lemonade.

  “What do you mean?” Dink asked.

  “There weren’t any windows in there, so she couldn’t have gotten out that way,” Ruth Rose said. “And if she’d come through the door, she would have bumped right into us.”

  “But a woman did come out,” Josh said. “Remember, she was talking on a cell phone?”

  “Yeah, but she looked totally different,” Ruth Rose said.

  “Maybe she was in disguise,” Dink said. “Maybe the mummy snatcher changed clothes in the rest room!”

  “She might’ve hidden her dress in the briefcase,” Josh said. “And the blond hair could’ve been a wig.”

  “Guys, I just realized something,” Ruth Rose said. “When that woman came out of the rest room, she walked toward the tomb. Maybe she went back to steal something else!”

  The kids left their drinks on the table and ran to the tomb.

  “Open, sez me!” Josh said. He pressed the stone and the door rumbled open.

  Tiny lights shone from the tomb ceiling, casting shadows on the floor.

  The child mummy’s sarcophagus lay empty. Its lid still leaned against the wall. The other two mummies stood guard over the room.

  Ruth Rose grabbed Dink and Josh and pointed them toward the treasure chamber. Without speaking, the three tiptoed under the arch.

  The treasure chamber, like the tomb, had a stone floor partly covered with sand and gravel. The walls were also stone, with no windows.

  “She’s not here,” Dink whispered, glancing into the chamber’s dim corners. His arms suddenly bristled with goose bumps.

  “Yeah, but look at all the gold!” Josh said, pressing his nose up against a glass display case.

  There were six cases in the chamber. Four were filled with pottery and farming equipment. The other two held gold carvings and jewelry.

  “You’d think if someone wanted to steal something,” Dink said, “it’d be this treasure, not a mummy.”

  “These cases are locked, and they have alarms,” Ruth Rose said. She pointed to thin gray wires running along the edges of each case.

  Suddenly, Dink heard a low rumbling noise. “What’s that?” he asked.

  “It sounds like the tomb door!” Ruth Rose said.

  The kids ran back into the tomb. They were just in time to see the wall slide shut.

  Josh ran to the wall and tried to force it open with his fingers. When he turned around, his face was white.

  “We’re locked in!” he said.

  “There must be a way to open the door from in here,” Ruth Rose said. “Let’s look for a switch or something.”

  The kids searched the walls near the door but found nothing that would open it.

  “But why did the door close in the first place?” Josh asked.

  “You might have set off an alarm when you touched the case,” Ruth Rose said.

  “If she’s right,” Dink said, “someone will hear the alarm and come to see who’s in here. All we have to do is wait.”

  “Wait in here?” Josh squeaked.
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  “It won’t be for long,” Dink said. “Any second now, that door will slide open again.”

  “Yeah, well, let’s wait in the treasure chamber,” Josh muttered. “Those mummies are creeping me out.”

  “They’re just dust,” Ruth Rose said.

  “But they’re dead dust!” Josh said, heading into the chamber.

  The kids sat on the floor and leaned against a wall. The room was silent. The ceiling lights cast a soft glow onto the gold inside the cases.

  “I’ve always dreamed of being locked in a room full of gold,” Josh said. “But now that I am, I’d rather be home.”

  Minutes passed, then more minutes. No one came to rescue them. The stone door in the tomb remained solidly shut.

  “No one knows we’re in here,” Josh muttered. “We could be trapped forever. We’ll die and become mummies!”

  “Our parents all know we’re at the museum,” Ruth Rose said. “If I’m not home for supper, my dad will call.”

  “But by then the museum will be closed,” Josh insisted. “No one will answer the phone!”

  “Then my folks will drive here,” Ruth Rose said.

  “Or they’ll call the police,” Dink said. “All we have to do is sit here and chill out.”

  “I’m already chilled,” Josh mumbled. “This place feels like the inside of a refrigerator.”

  Dink grinned. “Gee, Joshua, I thought you’d be happy inside a refrigerator.”

  “Very funny, Donald!” Josh muttered. “Plus, I’m sitting on gravel. Why can’t they have carpets like normal people?”

  Ruth Rose stood up and wiped gravel and sand off her shorts. “Josh is right. Let’s see if we can find someplace more comfortable to sit,” she said.

  “Like home,” Josh said.

  “Or like this!” Ruth Rose said. She had opened a small door cut into the stone wall.

  “It’s some kind of closet,” Dink said, peering inside.

  “Egyptians didn’t have closets,” Josh said. The kids saw folding chairs, cleaning supplies, and a stack of carpet pieces.

  “The carpet squares must be for kids to sit on,” Ruth Rose said. “Let’s spread them out.”

  The kids covered the closet floor with carpet squares, then lay down.

  “This is more like it,” Josh said, making himself comfortable. “Now if someone would just bring me some pizza and a soda, I’d be happy.”