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For a few seconds we stood there, aghast. Then, we turned as one to General Hopkins, and we asked:

"How...?"

"I'm sorry," he replied (with a half-smug/half-sympathetic) grin: "But, that's top secret. Speaking of secrets, though, we should adjourn to the captain's mess to plan further strategy in this matter. Captain Biggs? Would you lead the way?"

We nodded our understanding and followed our hosts. But, as we did so, I turned to Sir Anthony and whipsered:

"Have you figured it out, yet?"

He grinned, nodded, and whispered back:

"One depth charge probably contained powdered magnesium, while the other probably contained a combination of holy water and white phosphorous. The explosion of the latter led to the water igniting the magnesium from the former. Which, in turn, explosively ignited the white phosporous! Combine that with the spiritual energy endowed upon the water by blessing it in the first place? And, voila! No more corpus diaboli."

We finally reached the captain's mess. General Hopkins took the chair at the head of the table. Special Agent Biggs positioned himself to the general's left, followed by Mr. Houdini. Captain Biggs positioned himself to the general's right. Before choosing our own seats, however, Sir Anthony and I found ourselves having a most unexpected reunion.

The pilot who had strafed the giant snake demoness from the air had been our own Bob Gabriel!

"How in blazes...?" I began.

Now, it was his turn to grin.

"They picked me up--quite literally!--back at the local airfield. Needless to say, I was quite impressed with what I saw."

The general meaningfully cleared his throat, and gestured for everyone to be seated.

"I think we should begin this planning session with a brief recap of the facts as both parties individually know them. Sir Anthony; if you would do the honors?"

The latter nodded and stood back up.

"It began with a Midwestern orphan train that was intercepted, and absconded with, by a giant bird woman. Purportedly, to protect its young passengers from a sisterhood of demonic snake women! While, two months earlier, a privately-chartered counterpart in the Far West might or might not have met the same fate for similar reasons."

"Then, we have Mr. Houdini, who was almost killed by one of the aforementioned snake-women during her imposture as a spirit-channeling medium for (among others) a certain bereaved railroad magnate."

"Then, we have you, General Hopkins, and this airborne task force, secretly investigating the connection between these snake women and the missing train from the Far West."

"And, lastly? We have the good doctor and myself. We, ourselves, were almost killed by another snake giantess while talking to the widow of a Mafia don concerning the identity of a certain man at the summer camp for which the Midwestern train was originally bound. A man whom the aforementioned bird woman claimed was secretly in league with the snake women! That the snake giantess who attacked us, at Big Arbor Lake, had come there to prevent that (at any cost) should naturally be regarded as indisputable."

"As indisputable," I added: "...as our debt to you, General Hopkins, for saving our lives."

The general nooded, appreciatively. Then, he grew business-like, again.

"From your concise summary of the facts, Sir Anthony, it is obvious we have two over-lapping mysteries. And, while I would be amenable to joining forces with you and Dr. Thorpe, under other circumstances? In this instance, I don't think it's logistically possible. You see, the XZR-1 is bound directly for Arizona, where Oishi Nakafusa has uncovered a clue to the location of the Seattle orphan train. We will, however, first drop you off back at that small airfield so Mr. Gabriel can reclaim possession of his Handley/Page."

"We would be most grateful for that, general," Sir Anthony replied: "As I think it would behoove Robert, Dr. Thorpe, and myself to make our next stop...Lake Yo-Tel-T'til, Michigan!"

tbc
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