Dr. Schneeberger shook his head gravely. ‘I cannot say it is impossible. I fear you have only too good cause for all you say.’ ‘You would indeed say so more emphatically still, did you but know Mr. Torwood’s strength of will, and his power of bending circumstances and individuals to it. I stand in no small danger—of that I am convinced; and I must act at once, and that secretly. I have a plan, but I shall want your help in carrying it out. Will you stand my friend, doctor?’ ‘I will, mein Herr, as far as possible.’ ‘Your part is simple. All you have to do is to let me leave your roof, without letting the would-be Mr. Debenham know. He must suppose me to be here, whilst really I shall be watching him at close quarters.’ ‘Watching him! Will you then run into danger by going near to him?’ ‘I shall go disguised. I have money: I can soon so alter myself that none will know me. My beard has grown, and that in itself is a great disguise. I hardly knew myself when I saw my own reflection for the first time. I must watch the enemy at close quarters before I can strike. I must find out his weak points, and see if there are any in my old neighbourhood who will stand my friends. I must be on the spot; but it must be impossible for him to suspect who I am. You must write from time to time to say that I am here, and continue in the same unconscious state. He _cannot_ then suspect.’ Dr. Schneeberger considered this proposition awhile, and then slowly shook his head. ‘It will not do,’ he said. ‘It would be dangerous for us both. Any time the Herr might take it into his head to come over and visit you—I wonder he has not done so already. Suppose he came and found you away, what then would happen?’ Phil looked blank as this idea was propounded. The suggestion was reasonable enough, and showed him more and more how much of a prisoner he was. ‘What, then, can be done?’ The doctor sat in deep thought. This time it was from him that the suggestion came. ‘Mein Herr, does your friend know much of the science of medicine?’ ‘Not an atom, I should imagine.’ ‘Then it would not occur to him, perhaps, as an odd method of treating supposed compression of the brain, to send the patient upon a sea-voyage?’ Phil’s eyes brightened slowly. ‘No, doctor; I don’t suppose it would. Go on.’ ‘Anyone who had studied the subject would not be likely to approve such an experiment; but if your friend does not understand these matters, I could easily lead him to suppose that such a course of treatment would be beneficial to you, and he might be willing for you to go.’ ‘And then?’ questioned Phil eagerly.