"Stick--stark--staring madness," said the professor. "I, who have been
out there for years, and who can be quite at home with the people,
should have hard work to get through by the skin of my teeth."

"And you would not get through, Frank," said the doctor decisively.
"This business must be carried out wisely and well."

"What would you do, then," said Frank impatiently.

"Make application to the Foreign Office at once. Diplomacy must be set
to work, and failing that, force."

"Oh!" cried Frank, in a despairing tone; "why, it would take years to
get that slow machine to work, and all that time wasted in
correspondence and question and answer, while poor Hal is slaving away
yonder in chains! Oh, Morris, what are you thinking about?"

"Acting in the slower and surer way," replied the doctor firmly. "This
can only be done with coolness. We know that Hal is a prisoner out
yonder, and we must apply to Government to get him free."

"Humph!" ejaculated the professor.

"Hah!" cried Frank. "You don't agree with this, Landon?"

"Of course not. Bob Morris is as clever a chap as any in London at
cutting people to pieces and putting 'em together again; but over
Egyptian matters he'd be like a baby. Mine is the plan."

"To get your head cut off," growled the doctor.

"Well, if I did," retorted the professor, "that would beat you. Clever
as you are, old chap, you couldn't get that to grow again. Look here,
Frank, you side with me. I'll go at once."

"And take me with you?"

"No, my boy, I--will--not," said the professor decisively. "Be
sensible, and take what is really the best way. I am not bragging when
I say that I am one of the most likely men living to carry this business
through."

"Oh, we know that you are not bragging," said the doctor. "You mean
right; so does Frank. And now let me say this. The first thing last
night that I thought, was that you, Fred, must go, and that I would go
with you."

"Impossible," said the professor shortly.

"Yes, I thought it well over, and dearly as I long to go and help poor
Hal, I am obliged to confess that it would be impossible."

"Hear, hear," said the professor; "just as impossible as for Frank to
insist upon going with me to stick his head into the lion's mouth, get
it bitten off, and spoil my plans as well. Once more, it is impossible
for either of you two to go; so be sensible and help me to get off, and
trust me like a brother to help and save our b