You notice that the black coating leaves the principal decoration and the whole of the inscription untouched, which is precisely the part that one would expect to find covered up; whereas the feet and the back, which probably bore no writing, are quite thickly encrusted.

If you stoop down, you can see that the bitumen was daubed freely into the lacings of the back, where it served no purpose, so that even the strings are embedded." He stooped, as he spoke, and peered up inquisitively at the back of the mummy, where it was visible between the supports.
"Has Doctor Norbury any explanation to offer ?" asked Miss Bellingham.
"None whatever," replied Mr.Jellicoe.

"He finds it as great a mystery as I do.

But he thinks that we may get some suggestion from the Director when he comes back.

He is a very great authority, as you know, and a practical excavator of great experience too.