PETER CONAN KRANZ

HOLMES AND WATSON were relaxing back at the Hamamas hostelry, the detective, clay pipe in hand, perusing a tattered local map.

Watson was somewhat distracted as the beautiful ferocious Salome had sidled up next to him on the sofa.

Her traditional costume, perfectly suited to the tropical climate, might have been seen as somewhat louche in English eyes. The bilas was rather revealing.

"Doctor John - are you married?"

"Yes ma'am, I most assuredly am!" said Watson with alarm.

She gently placed her hand on Watson's leg and looked into his eyes lovingly.

"No matter, Doctor John. In my country we have a tradition that a great man may have many wives. Maybe I could be your second one?"

Watson jumped out of his seat.

"I say Holmes, please help me, please!"

Bent over his map, Holmes replied, "Watson, stop fondling that woman and come look at this."

Watson - "Ahem, I am trying to extricate myself, Holmes. Extricate! I was merely admiring the two magnificent, er .... axes!"

Holmes - "There’s a track marked here that winds up the volcano and disappears. What does that suggest, Watson?"

"The cartographer ran out of ink?"

"Watson, sometimes I wonder about your powers of deduction. Clearly, my friend, the track leads underground."

"Salome, gather your weapons. We have need of your skills."

And so the three heroes equipped themselves for a journey into the heart of darkness – the depths of Tavurvur the volcano!