EPILOGUE
The two lovers sat and watched the twilight blend to darkness. There were no cares in the world.
"Harv?"
"Yes, Vera?"
"I'm really sorry."
"About what?"
"Well, in all the excitement of the fight, I sort of pulled the safety switches off the Nippo-Montsnmags Mark IV depth charges in the sailboat. I thought that if there weren't any switches, they would have to not try to destroy the locks."
A faint "crump" sounded out in the Canal, folllowed by largish waves lapping the shore.
"Ah, well," said Harv, "Biggles has a runabout that I can win off him next week at the poker game. He's as bad as Miyatake."
"Does it leak?"
"Sometimes."
"Well that's all right, then." She snuggled back into his arms.
"Mutter, mutter, mutter! Couldn't even give a dog a bit of warning! One minute I'm looking at having to try to swim to Russia and then to Alaska, not to mention finding a way back to Panama, the next I'm swimming for my life! I'd like to see a Jack Russel Terrier do this scene!"
A wet, bedraggled, irritated, gray dog scrambled ashore and shook vigorously. Sitting there, enjoying a few beers and, in at least one case, a smoke were Hugo, Lefty, and the squid.
"You guys got a brew for a poor dog?"
Hugo lifted him out a cold one and offered him a cigarette.
"No thanks! I'm trying to quit."
The squid looked at his companions, as if to say, "Louis, this could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship!"
"Who's Louis?"