I think Newton's analysis is basically true. Given the same four adventurers, if Newton himself had been the leader Frederick and Peter would both have been pragmatically sacrificed hundreds of episodes ago. If Abe were the leader, they wouldn't have gotten in half the jams that they have by virtue of Frederick's Inspired Notions, and Frederick would have left out of boredom, Peter out of lack of werebeaver blood on his hands, and Newton to seek more stimulating intellectual climes. Then, if Peter were leader, well, we shall see about that, won't we?

I don't know how Frederick is going to find himself in Brandenberg. I'll just have to keep reading to see.

--Geoff