While the rest of the heroes listened with grim silence to the conversation between Klink and Hochstetter, Carter found his new comrades to be more interesting than they were frightening. His curiosity began when they passed his explosives laboratory, which Grandpa complimented heartily. Carter's heart swelled with pride at the kind word. It wasn't often that someone demonstrated any knowledge in his craft.

"Gee, thanks!" he replied, "So you know something about explosives?"

Grandpa chuckled. "My boy, I'm an expert on the subject. I'm an inventor, you know."

"Not just an inventor," added Herman, hunching over further as the tunnels grew smaller, "The man's a mad scientist."

"Really? I've always wanted to meet a mad scientist. What types of things do you study?"

"Oh, chemistry, biology, a little magic."

"Magic? No way! You'll have to show me some of that."

Grandpa responded with a sly grin. "It would be my pleasure."

He pulled back the inside of his cape to reveal a dozen bottles full of assorted liquids and pills. All were labeled with various animals, objects, and celebrity names. Taking a bottle of white powder labeled snow, he unscrewed the cap, took a pinch of the powder, and tossed it in the air. With a puff and a bang, a flurry of snowflakes swirled around the guest quarters. Herman clapped his hands and laughed with delight. Speechless, Carter held out his gloved hand and caught a few flurries. They sparkled and melted in his hand the same as the snow that coated the prison grounds.

"Amazing!" he marveled, "how'd you do it?"

Grandpa smirked. "Magic, my boy. That's all I can say."

Herman packed a snowball up from the flurries that were beginning to collect on the ground.

"Hey, Grandpa! Catch!"

Herman heaved the snowball. Grandpa ducked just in time. The snowball sailed over his head and hit the wall with such force that it left an indent where it landed. Carter stared open-mouthed at the new hole in the wall before asking,

"Do you keep the blueprints for the missile in that cape, too?"

Grandpa shook his head. "Oh, no. I've hidden those blueprints in such a clever spot, even Herman won't be able to find them. Which isn't saying much because the big clod here would lose his head if it weren't bolted down properly."

Carter stole another glance up at Herman, who scowled at Grandpa.

"Are you insinuating that I'm too inept to look after my own personal belongings?"

"No, I'm saying you're a knucklehead."

While Herman growled over this, Grandpa pulled off his cape and handed it to Carter.

"Hang this up for me, will 'ya, son? And be real careful. This cape holds the secret that going to transport us to London."

Carter nodded and took the cape. Without looking at the wall, he hung it up on the nearest hook he could reach. These newcomers were so fascinating, he couldn't spare to take his eyes off them.

"So, what landed you here in Germany?" he asked.

"Well," began Herman, "it just so happens that I am mostly German myself, although I do believe my right lung came from an Austrian fellow. Anyway, we were living in Transylvania when this whole war thing began but we heard…" he paused to sniff the air. Indeed, the entire room had filled with smoke.

"Herman!" cried Grandpa, "my cape!"

Carter had missed the coat rack and instead hung the cape over the nearest torch. Now, the entire cape was engulfed in flames. Carter, Grandpa, and Herman all rushed to smother the fire, but it was too late. The entire cape, along with Grandpa's formulas, quickly became a pile of ash.

"Grandpa, your spells!" Herman moaned.

"Gee, sir, I really am sorry," Carter muttered for loss of a better word.

"Well, I sure hope that submarine still plans on coming, because we'll have to get to London the old-fashioned way- without magic," Grandpa groaned. "But Herman, for you, there's one consolation. You can go through the rest of your life knowing that there's someone in the world who's more stupid than you!"

[ - - ]

Early the next morning after roll call, Hogan sauntered into Klink's office with the hopes of convincing him to relax his patrols. Without bothering to knock, he swung the door open and marched in, catching Klink by surprise. The Luftwaffe colonel jerked his arm, leaving a jagged streak of ink where his signature was supposed to be. Hogan leaned over the desk to take a look.

"Sure is a beautiful signature, sir. Have you been taking calligraphy lessons?" Klink scowled as he swept the ruined paper aside.

"Hogan, I am not interested in anything you have to say. Dismissed."

"Take it easy, Kommondant. I only wanted to congratulate you."

Klink cocked his head. "Congratulate me? Why?"

"On your promptness, sir. Why, when that Gestapo major gives you an order, you follow like a well-trained dog."

"Hogan, how do you know Hochstetter gave me any orders?"

"A natural assumption, sir. He was here last night and all of a sudden, security is tightened. I'm telling you, that guy must know a thing or two about running prison camps. You never know, he may have prevented an escape." Klink rose slowly as he spoke.

"Major Hochstetter knows nothing of prison camps, or security for that matter. Some of his own prisoners have escaped right out from under his nose. But not here. There's never been an escape here!"

"Then why don't you do what you know you should do?" Klink beamed, but his smile faded as he failed to understand Hogan's implication.

"What do I know I should do?"

"Forget Hochstetter's orders. You know how to run a prison camp better than he does. Why should you listen to him?"

"You're absolutely right, Hogan."

[ - - ]

Meanwhile, in the underground room, Herman struggled to get comfortable. He was used to dark, underground spaces, but the inability to stand up straight was turning him into a hunchback. Worn out from the shock of losing his spells, Grandpa had fallen asleep hanging from the rafters. Sore from slouching and tired of watching Grandpa snore, Herman decided to take a walk. Maybe he'd bump into some of those nice guys they'd met the night before. Still hunched over, he wandered about the network of tunnels until he found a different ladder. Curiosity and the urge to stretch overwhelmed him and he decided to stick his head up for a peek. As he climbed the ladder, the ceiling over his head lifted, revealing an empty prisoners' barracks. Herman gazed around at the rows of bunks with surprise.

"What are we doing in a POW camp?" he wondered aloud, "I thought the whole idea was to escape from Germany, not end up in prison!"

Herman climbed out of the bunk passage and began poking through the belongings strewn around the barracks. He noticed a stack of half-dealt cards lying on a table in the center of the room. He started to sit down to get a better look at them, but the rickety wooden bench collapsed under his weight. An astonished Herman rolled across the floor, coming to a halt by a furnace. He tried to lean against the furnace to pull himself up, but the stove folded in on him. A pot full of hot liquid tipped over and spilled on his head. Herman let out a roar of astonishment that shook the entire barracks. Struggling to his feet, he dove for the door to get a burst of cool air. Flinging the door open, he came face-to-face with a German sergeant. The sergeant, who must have weighed as much as he did, clutched a rifle in one hand and a chocolate bar in the other. Seconds elapsed as the two stared at each other in stunned silence. Then, the sergeant's face turned a distinct shade of purple and he squeezed his candy bar so tight, it melted in his hand. With his chocolate hand, he pointed one finger at Herman and stuttered,

"A-a-a-a. H-h-Herr Kommandant! Herr Kommandant!"

The sergeant spun in an awkward circle and loped towards Klink's office as fast as his stumpy legs could carry him.

"Oh, golly!" Herman gulped, "I've been spotted!"

He hurried back in the barracks to try and find a hiding spot. The room was too crowded, he couldn't fit anywhere. He hurried into a smaller adjoining room. Maybe he could curl up somewhere in there.

[ - - ]

In the office of the Kommandant, Klink was just beginning to consider relaxing security when Schultz stormed through the door, nearly trampling Hogan in his haste.

"Herr Kommandant! I beg to report a monster!"

"A what?" asked Klink and Hogan in unison, though for different reasons.

"A monster, Herr Kommandant! I was standing outside eating- er- watching the prisoners in the compound when I heard this roar. Then the barracks door opened and there he was!"

Hogan tsked and shook his head. "See what a toll the extra duty's taken on your men, Kommandant? They're already seeing things that aren't there. It won't be long until they won't see things that are there, like an escaping prisoner, for instance."

"But, Colonel Hogan, I really saw it, I swear!" Schultz moaned.

Klink smirked. "Colonel Hogan, I really am impressed at the lengths you will go to try and trick me into letting my guard down."

"Now, Colonel, that hurts!" Hogan said.

"It was a good attempt, Hogan, but I've seen right through your little trick. And starting today, not only will security remain tightened, but I will also be requesting assistance from Berlin. Dismissed."

Hogan concealed his scowl until after he'd left Klink's office. Then, he made a beeline for the barracks, hoping he could stop Herman before someone with more influence found the jolly green giant.