[pshrynk]

The Comte de Bois Aussi walked along the road with his companion. Every now and again, the companion would stop and investigate a tree or interesting shrub. Neither had spoken for the past ten minutes. Conversation was definitely needed, but they did not know where to start.

Finally Slite ventured, "Maybe this isn't as important as we thought."

"A fascist republic in the Caribbean, ninety nautical miles from the US? How could that not be important?"

"Well, you have me there. But why would they send those two? Are they out of spies in Germany and Japan?"

"You do not want to know who les Americains sent."

"Roberts?" said Slite, a cold chill running across his spine.

"Hah! Roberts is James Bond, compared to this fellow! I am perplexed."

"Who is James Bond?"

"I thought he was yours."

"No. Never heard of him."

"Ah. Well, Montsnmags told me of his heroic exploits and how he single handedly stopped the advancement of communism and the plots of madmen everywhere."

"Montsnmags must have met him face to face, then. This American, how can he be worse than Roberts? They ended up posting Roberts to Panama to get him out of the way."

"Major Biggles is worse," said Bois Aussi, holding firm to his convictions.

"Lord help us. So, now we have this Biggles you speak of, along with Miyatake and Hilda Bummschweiger all in this little mess. What's next? The Quebcois sending Yvan down here?"

Bois Aussi shuddered at the thought. He had enough to worry about without the organized marches of the working proletariat. And the pamphlets...