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Where the mask had been was a mummy's face, a pool of brown lued shut with spiderweb The other eye cracked forth tears of dust and a glint of bright blue glass

"Isssss there some boy there dressed like a mummy?" asked the voice muffled beneath the shroud

"Why, s, chest, the es it had taken him all afternoon to wrap himself up in, mummified

"Good," sighed Moundshroud "Grab the linen strip Pull!"

Ralph bent, took hold of the ancient es and--yanked!

The ribbon unraveled up around, up around to reveal the great ancient reptile nose-beak and flaky chin and dry s dust-powdery mouth of Moundshroud His crossed arms fell loose

"Thanks, lad! Free! No fun being wrapped like soift for the Land of the Dead But--hist! Quick, boys, hop in the niches, stand stiff So Play mummies, boys, play dead!"

The boys leaped to stand, arms folded, eyes shut, breaths held, like a frieze of small mummies cut in the ancient rock

"Easy," whispered Moundshroud "Here comes--"

A funeral procession

An ar-ship toys and copper bowls of food in their hands

And in their ht as sunshine on the shoulders of six s on its linen vestold mask fitted over the hidden face

"See the food, boys, the toys," whispered Moundshroud "They put toys in the toods will come play, romp, roustabout, and run children happy to the Land of the Dead See the boats, kites, jump-ropes, toy knives--"

"But look at the size of that es "It's a twelve-year-old boy in there! Like old mask on the boy mummy's face--doesn't it look familiar?"

"Pipkin!" cried everyone, hoarsely