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'All men are pigs；' Misha said； in her savage native tongue； and kicked him with all the strength of her long and shapely right leg。
* * *
Nefer led a small party of his men down the dry riverbed。 They kept close under the bank； and the soft sand muffled their footsteps。
The four treasure carts were drawn up side by side； and their wheels were chained together so that they could not be driven off in haste by bandits or robbers。
Eight armed men were posted around them as sentries； and every one was laid out on the soft sand like a corpse awaiting the embalmers。 Taita went to each in turn； felt for the pulse in the throat then drew back a lid to examine the eye of the unconscious man。 Finally he nodded to Nefer； and went to the rear door of the first cart。
He took a long bronze probe from his pouch and worked intently on the massive bronze lock。 It fell open and the hasp snapped back。 Taita swung open the heavy metal door to reveal the four small cases that were tied down to ringbolts in the wagon bed。 The lids of the treasure chests were sealed with a clay tablet that carried the cartouche of Pharaoh Naja Kiafan。
Taita used his dagger blade to lift the seals； and dropped them into his pouch so that they would not be evidence of tampering when next the cart doors were opened。 He used the point of the dagger to unscrew the fastenings that held down the lid； then lifted it。 The chest was filled with small leather pouches。 Taita weighed one in his hand； and smiled。 He opened the mouth of the pouch to see the unmistakable glint of the precious metal within。
While he had been busy； Nefer and Meren had dug a shallow hole in the soft sand under the wagon truck。 Taita passed down the leather pouch to Nefer； who laid it in the bottom of the hole。 In all Taita selected fifty of the heaviest leather bags from the first chest。 Then he screwed back the lid。 Using a lump of fresh damp clay that he had brought with him he resealed the lid。 With the engraved ruby ring that Naja had given him as a gift when he had left Thebes； he imprinted the clay seal with the royal cartouche。 Then he went on to the next chest in the row of four。
'We are not taking enough；' Meren grumbled。 'We are leaving more than half of it for Naja and Trok。'
'Greed would be our undoing；〃 Taita grunted； as he prised up the lid of the last case。 'This way they will not know that any of the bullion is missing until the paymaster opens the cases again and counts it； which may not be for several more months。'
From each case in the four carts they lifted fifty leather bags and buried them in the loose sand of the wadi bed。 Though they worked as swiftly as care would allow； the sun was low in the western sky when they resealed the final chest and locked the rear doors of the last cart。 One of the sleeping guards stirred and mumbled； and tried to sit up。 Taita went to him and laid a gentle hand on his brow。 The man sighed and lay back。 Taita pulled open his mouth and sprinkled a pinch of white powder under his tongue； and he lay quiet。
'We must hurry now。 They are beginning to revive。'
They spread sand over the rows of bags in the bottom of the hole beneath the last wagon； and then roughed and dotted the surface with footprints so that the smooth sand would not be conspicuous。
'How much do you estimate we took？' Nefer asked。
'Impossible to tell until we weigh it；' Taita said； 'but I would guess we have at least three lakhs。'
'Enough to recruit and equip an army；' Nefer muttered； as he worked。
They made one last quick but thorough inspection of the carts and the area around them； to make sure that they had overlooked nothing。 Then leaving the guards still in heavy drugged sleep； they slipped away down the wadi。
They climbed into the foothills below the plateau； back to where they had left Hilto with the chariots。 From this vantage…point they kept watch on where they had buried the plundered gold。 They observed no evidence of any outcry or unusual activity in the wadi。 Perhaps the guards felt too guilty when they woke to make any report on their dereliction of duty。
Just before dark they saw the straining teams of bullocks heave the four carts out of the sandy riverbed； and trudge away behind the royal litters as the host of the false pharaohs resumed the night march。
For five more days and nights the great army of Egypt streamed past this spot。 There were successive squadrons of chariots； regiments of slingers； archers and spearmen。 These were followed by marching columns of slaves who would be used for the heavy labour of building fortifications and sapping the walls of besieged cities。 Then came the craftsmen； the chariot builders and carpenters； the armourers and arrow makers； and after them the camp…followers； the wives； sweethearts and whores with their slaves； servants and infants。 They were followed by the merchants with wagonloads of goods and luxuries of every possible description to sell to the troops when they were rich with loot and plunder。
Yet out of all this multitude the watchers on the hills saw nobody enter the dried wadi where the gold was buried； and though each day panies and regiments camped nearby no one approached the wadi to use it as a latrine or a camping site。
When the last vehicle in that mighty host had trundled past and climbed up through the rocky Khatmia Pass； and the last straggler had limped by； Nefer and Taita were certain that the short…weight of bullion in the treasure carts had not been discovered by the army paymasters； and they were almost certain that the cache in the riverbed had not been stumbled upon by chance。
When at last the eastern highway was deserted they came down from the hills during the night and left the chariots on the high bank of the wadi with the horses still in the traces； ready for instant flight。 Nefer and Meren went down into the sandy bed； and in the moonlight the tracks left by the treasure carts and the oxen were still plain to see。 After only a few thrusts with the wooden spade Meren whistled with glee and turned up the first pouch of gold。 As they lifted each bag from the hole they counted them； making certain that they overlooked not a single one。 Then they carried them up the wadi bank； staggering under their weight； and stacked them beside the waiting chariots。 Eight hundred leather bags filled with fine gold made an impressive pile。
Too much！ We will not be able to carry away all of it；' Nefer said doubtfully。
'It is one of the natural laws of this wicked world。' Taita shook his head。 'Of gold there can never be too much。'
The light fighting chariots had not been designed as transport carts； but they loaded them until the axles sagged and the coachwork groaned。 Still they had not taken half of it on board。 Nursing the horses； leading them by the reins； they took the overloaded chariots up into the hills then came back for the next load。 It required two more trips to carry it all away。
They divided the treasure into five equal parts and buried four in separate caches； well dispersed； taking great care to conceal them and leave no sign。 Thus； if one hoard was discovered they would not lose all。 The fifth part they loaded on to thirteen of the chariots and Nefer sent them back to Gallala under the mand of Hilto。 Once he reached the city Hilto would return with a convoy of heavy wagons to fetch in the remainder。
Nefer kept back the remaining three chariots。 They would be driven by himself； Taita and Meren。 The two squadrons parted pany； Hilto taking his laden vehicles south again； and Nefer leading his smaller group eastwards； shadowing the army of the two pharaohs。
* * *
Nefer travelled by day； knowing that the army they were following would be resting in camp； and with a daylight view ahead they were unlikely to run into any surprises。
They went up through the pass on to the plateau where they found ample water； although much of it had been fouled by the thousands of animals and men