The Statue Walks at Night Read Free Page B

hiding places,” Brian said. “Remember?”
    But Sean’s attention was focused on the sword. He dashed between the cases, fighting with an imaginary enemy.
    â€œCut it out,” Brian warned him. “You’re making so much racket the guard will be in here to see what you’re doing.”
    â€œHe can’t come in here because he’d have to leave his post,” Sean said.
    Suddenly a deep voice spoke from behind them.
    â€œHey, you kids!” the guard said sternly. “Keep it down.”
    â€œI thought he wasn’t supposed to leave his post,” Sean whispered to Brian after the guard walked away.
    â€œThe museum’s not that large,” Brian said. “The guard’s able to keep an eye on everything.” Brian scowled at Sean. “So stop acting up!” Sometimes, Brian was thinking, younger brothers can be such a pain.
    The boys began searching the room, but with no luck.
    â€œWe might as well move on to the California history room,” Brian said finally. “We didn’t find what we were looking for in here.”
    As they entered the main gallery, Sean spotted some illustrated pamphlets on a table. He picked one up and read through it. It was about the pieces in the American primitive art collection. Sean put the pamphlet down. He’d find out more than he wanted to know about all that stuff tomorrow during the field trip. Then he had an idea. A big grin came over his face.
    He folded the pamphlet and stuck it in the pocket of his jeans. If all went well, he told himself, he had a plan that would drive Debbie Jean Parker crazy.
    Brian had already finished exploring the California history room by the time Sean caught up to him.
    â€œI can’t find any hiding places in here,” Brian told Sean. “We’ll try the Egyptian room next.”
    Sean froze. The Egyptian room! He had almost forgotten about it.
    â€œLet’s not,” Sean said, hesitating. But he followed Brian anyway. At the entrance to the Egyptian room, his gaze was drawn across the room to the jackal-faced statue of Anubis that loomed over the glass case in which the mummy lay entombed. Sean shivered with fright. What if Sam really was right? What if the legend of Anubis wasn’t just a silly story?
    â€œBri, why don’t we look through the art galleries on the other side of the museum?” Sean suggested.
    â€œBecause we’re here and not there,” Brian insisted impatiently.
    No other visitors were in the Egyptian room, and the few people who had been viewing the exhibit in the main room had drifted off to the art galleries.
    Sean inched closer to Brian.
    â€œThis is the same as the other two rooms we were in,” he whispered. “There’s nothing but cases full of things and pictures of Egyptian tombs and stuff hanging on the walls. No place to hide anything. Let’s get out of here.”
    But Brian was staring at the statue of Anubis. “Shhh,” he said. “Did you hear anything?”
    â€œDon’t do that, Bri!” whined Sean. He was about to punch his brother’s arm but stopped as he saw a look of alarm creep across Brian’s face.
    â€œShhh!” Brian said. A distinct scraping sound was coming from the statue. “It moved,” Brian whispered.
    The scraping grew louder, and suddenly the statue slowly turned so that it was looking right at them!
    â€œLook out!” Sean yelled. “It’s coming after us!”

CHAPTER FOUR

    A FACE POPPED UP at the side of the statue.
    â€œHello, boys,” the man said. He was dressed in gray overalls and carried a large rag in his front pocket.
    He must be the custodian, Harvey Marshall, Brian thought. Brian walked up to him and smiled.
    â€œWhat are you doing, sir?” he asked. He tried to appear interested. Brian had learned from his investigations that adults usually weren’t much interested in what kids