Стража! Стража!

           Butitdefinitelymadeanimpression.

           Vimesralliedmagnificently.Theycouldn’thavenoticedhisbriefmomentofsheerhorror.

           "Thatonewasjusttogetyourattention,"hesaid,poker-faced."Thenextonewillbealittlelower."

           "Er,"saidtheleader."Rightyouare.Noproblem.Wewerejustgoinganyhow.Nobigdragonshere,rightenough.Sorryyou’vebeentroubled."

           "Oh,no,"saidLadyRamkintriumphantly."Youdon’tgetawaythateasily!"Shereachedupontoashelfandproducedatinbox.Ithadaslotinthelid.Itrattled.Onthesidewasthelegend:TheSunshineSanctuaryforSickDragons.

           Theinitialwhip-roundproducedfourdollarsandthirty-onepence.AfterCaptainVimesgesturedpointedlywiththedragon,afurthertwenty-fivedollarsandsixteenpenceweremiraculouslyforthcoming.Thenthemobfled.

           "Wemadeaprofitontheday,anyway,"saidVimes,whentheywerealoneagain.

           "Thatwasjollybraveofyou!"

           "Let’sjusthopeitdoesn’tcatchon,"saidVimes,gingerlyputtingtheexhausteddragonbackinitspen.Hefeltquitelightheaded.

           Onceagainhewasawareofeyesstaringfixedlyathim.Heglancedsidewaysintothelong,pointedfaceofGoodboyBindleFeatherstone,rearingupinaposebestdescribedasTheLastPuppyintheShop.

           Tohisastonishment,hefoundhimselfreachingoverandscratchingitbehinditsears,oratleastbehindthetwospikythingsatthesidesofitsheadwhichwerepresumablyitsears.Itrespondedwithastrangenoisethatsoundedlikeacomplicatedblockageinabrewery.