Стража! Стража!

           "Lance-constableCarrot,sir."

           "Carrot,Carrot.Thatnameringsabell."

           LupineWonse,whohadbeenhoveringbehindhim,whisperedinthePatrician’sear.Hisfacebrightened."Ah,theyoungthief-taker.Alittleerrorthere,Ithink,butcommendable.Nopersonisabovethelaw,eh?"

           "No,sir,"saidCarrot.

           "Commendable,commendable,"saidthePatrician."Andnow,gentlemen-"

           "Aboutyourcoach,sir,"saidCarrotdoggedly,"Icouldn’thelpnoticingthatthefrontoffsidewheel,contrarytothe-"

           He’sgoingtoarrestthePatrician,Vimestoldhimself,thethoughttricklingthroughhisbrainlikeanicyrivulet.He’sactuallygoingtoarrestthePatrician.Thesupremeruler.He’sgoingtoarresthim.Thisiswhathe’sactuallygoingtodo.Theboydoesn’tknowthemeaningoftheword’fear’.Oh,wouldn’titbeagoodideaifheknewthemeaningoftheword’survival’...

           AndIcan’tgetmyjawmusclestomove.

           We’realldead.Orworse,we’realldetainedatthePatrician’spleasure.Andasweallknow,he’sseldomthatpleased.

           ItwasatthisprecisemomentthatSergeantColonearnedhimselfametaphoricalmedal.

           "Lance-constableCarrot!"heshouted."Attention!Lance-constableCarrot,abou-utaturna!Lance-constableCarrot,qui-uckmarcha!"

           Carrotbroughthimselftoattentionlikeabarnbeingraisedandstaredstraightaheadwithaferociousexpressionofacuteobedience.

           "Welldone,thatman,"saidthePatricianthoughtfully,asCarrotstrodestifflyaway."Carryon,Captain.