The Seventh Scroll

distant beat of the rotors. Suddenly the radio crackled, and Nicholas

started violently at the shock.

"Pharaoh! This is Big Dolly. Do you read?"

Nicholas's voice bubbled over with relief as he replied, "This is

Pharaoh. Speak sweet words to me, Big Dolly."

"ETA your position one hour thirty minutes." ja

unmistakable.

"You will be very welcome!" Nicholas promised him fervently.

He hung up the microphone and beamed at the two women, "Ja

way, and he will-'

He broke off and his smile shrivelled to an expression of dismay. From

the direction of the river came the unmistakable rattle of AK-47 rapid

fire, followed a few seconds later by the crump of an exploding grenade.

"Oh, dammit to hell!" he groaned. "I thought it was too good to last.

Nogo has arrived."

He picked up the mike again and spoke into it expressionlessly. "Big

Dolly! The uglies have arrived on the scene. It's going to have to be a

hot extraction."

"Hang on to your crown, Pharaoh!" ja

my way."

During the next half-hour the sounds of the fighting along the river

intensified until the rattle of small-arms fire was almost continuous,

and gradually it crept closer to the far end of the airstrip. It was

clear that Mek's men, spread , out thinly along the river end of the

strip, were falling back before the thrust of Nogo's men. And every

twenty minutes or so there was'the sound of the returning helicopter, as

it ferried another stick of men to increase the pressure on Mek's scanty

defence.

Nicholas and Sapper were the only ablebodied men left in the acacia

grove, for all the others had gone out to defend the perimeter. The two

of them moved the ammunition crates to the edge of the trees, where they

could be loaded in haste once the Hercules landed.

Nicholas sorted out the cargo, reading the contents of each crate from

the notations on the lids in Royan's handwriting. The crate containing

the death -mask and the Taita ushabd would be the first to go aboard,

followed by the three crowns- the blue war crown, the Nemes crown and

the red and white crown of the united kingdoms of upper and lower Egypt.

The value of those three crates probably exceeded that of all the rest

of the treasure combined.

Once the cargo had been taken care of, Nicholas went down the row of

wounded men and spoke to each of them in turn. First, he thanked them

for their help and sacrifice, red to take them out on the Hercules to

and then offed where they could receive proper medical attention. He

mised each of them that, if they accepted the offer, he pro would see to

it . -lat once they had recovered from their wounds they could return to

Ethiopia.

Seven of them - those who were less seriously wounded and were able to

walk - refused to leave Mek Nimmur.

Their loyalty was a touching demonstration of the high regard in which

Mek was held by his men. The others reluctantly agreed to be evacuated,

but only after Tessay had intervened and added her assurances to

Nicholas's.

Then he and Sapper carried them to the point at the edge of the grove

where ja

"What about you?" Nicholas asked Tessay. "Are you coming out with us?

You are still in pretty bad shape."

Tessay laughed. "While I can still stand on my two feet, I will never

leave Mek Nimmur."

"I can't understand what you see in that old rogue," Nicholas laughed

with her. "I have -spoken to Mek. He wants me to take his share of the

booty with me. He won't be able to carry any extra luggage at the

moment."

"Yes, I know. Mek and I discussed it. We need the money to continue the

struggle here."

She broke off and ducked involuntarily, as a stu

in their eardrums and a tall column of dust leaped into the air close to

the edge of the grove.

Shrapnel whistled over their heads and twigs and leaves rained down on

them.

sweet Mary! What was that?" Tessay cried.

"Two-inch mortar,'said Nicholas. He had not moved, nor made any attempt

to take cover. "More bark than bite.

Nogo must have brought it in with his last flight."

"When will the Hercules get here?"

"I'll give ja

As Nicholas sauntered over to the radio set Tessay whispered to Royan,

"Are you English always so cooV

"Don't Ask me - I' mostly Egyptian, and I am terrified." Royan smiled

easily and put her arm around Tessay. "I am going to miss you, Lady

Sun."

"Perhaps we will meet again in happier times." Tessay turned her head

and kissed her impulsively, and Royan hugged her hard.

"I hope so. I hope so with all my heart."

Nicholas spoke into the microphone. "Big Dolly, this is Pharaoh. "What

is your position now?"

"Pharaoh, we are twenty minutes out, and hurrying.

Did you have baked beans for di

background?"

"With your wit you should have gone on the stage,'

Nicholas told him. "The uglies have control of the south end of the

strip. Make your approach from the north. The wind is wester rly at

about five knots. So any way you come in, it will be cross-wirid.

"Roger, Pharaoh. How many passengers and cargo do YOU have for me?"

"Passengers are six cas-evac plus three, Cargo is fifty-two crates,

about a quarter of a ton weight."

"Hardly worth coming all this way for so little, Pharaoh."

"Big Dolly. Be advised, there is another aircraft in the circuit. A jet

Ranger helter. Colour green and red. It 1cop is a hostile, but unarmed."

"Roger, Pharaoh. I will call again on finals."

the two women were Nicholas went back to where waiting with the wounded.

"Not long now," he told them cheerfully. He had to raise his voice to

make himself heard above the din of mortar bursts and rapid small'arms

fire.

"Just enough time for a cup of tea," he said. He pushed a few twigs into

the embers of the previous night's fire, then rummaged in his small

emergency pack for the last of his tea bags while Sapper placed the

smoke-blackened billycan back on the burgeoning flames.

They only had one mug between them. "Girls first," said Nicholas,

passing it to Royan. She took a swallow and scalded her lips.

Good!, she sighed, and then cocked her head. "This time it is definitely

Big Dolly I can hear."

Nicholas listened and then nodded. "I think you are right." He stood up

and went to the radio. "Big Dolly. You are audible."

"Five minutes to landing, Pharaoh."

From where he stood, Nicholas looked down the long strip. Mek's men were

retreating, flitting like smoke through the thorn scrub and firing back

in the direction of the river. Nogo was pushing them hard now.

"Hurry along, Ja

he turned back to the two women. "Plenty of time to finish your tea.

Don't waste it."

The rumble of Big Dolly's engines was louder than the sound of gunfire

now. Then suddenly she was in sight, coming in so low that she seemed to

brush the tops of the thorn trees. She was enormous, Her wingspan