"Yet I can hardly believe that any man would risk his neck to
steal so remarkable a mummy, which he would have a difficulty in
disposing of. But did this assassin know of the emeralds, he
would venture much to gain them, since jewels can be disposed of
with comparative ease, and cannot easily be traced."
"All the same," said Random, looking up, "I do not see how the
assassin could have learned that the jewels were wrapped in the
bandages."
"Humph!" said Hope, glancing at De Gayangos, "perhaps there is
more than one copy of this manuscript you speak of."
"Not to my knowledge."
"The sailor Vasa might have copied it."
"No." Don Pedro shook his head. "It is written in Latin, since
a Spanish priest taught the son of Inca Caxas, who wrote it, that
language. I do not think that Vasa knew Latin. Also, if Vasa
had copied the manuscript, he would have stripped the mummy to
procure the jewels. Now, in the newspaper advertisement it
stated that the bandages of the mummy were intact, as also was
the verdant case. No," said Don Pedro decisively, "I am quite
of opinion that Vasa, and indeed everyone else, was ignorant of
this manuscript."
"It seems to me," suggested Mrs. Jasher, "that it would be best
to find this sailor.
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