Стража! Стража!

           "Thatisaveryproperconcern,"saidthekingwho,

           sincehewasusuallytheonedoingthetelling,hadverysolidviewsaboutpeopledoingwhattheyweretold.

           "Ofcourse,theydon’ttakejustanyone,"saidVarneshi,dredgingthedepthsofhisrecollection.

           "Ishouldthinknot,forsuchanimportanttask.Ishallwritetotheirking."

           "Idon’tthinktheyhaveakingthere,"saidVarneshi."Justsomemanwhotellsthemwhattodo."

           Thekingofthedwarfstookthiscalmly.Thisseemedtobeaboutninety-sevenpercentofthedefinitionofkingship,asfarashewasconcerned.

           Carrottookthenewswithoutfuss,justashetookinstructionsaboutre-openingShaft#4orcuttingtimberforshoringprops.Alldwarfsarebynaturedutiful,serious,literate,obedientandthoughtfulpeoplewhoseonlyminorfailingisatendency,afteronedrink,torushatenemiesscreaming"Arrrrrrgh!"andaxingtheirlegsoffattheknee.Carrotsawnoreasontobeanydifferent.Hewouldgotothiscity-whateverthatwas-andhaveamanmadeofhim.

           Theytookonlythefinest,Varneshihadsaid.Awatchmanhadtobeaskilledfighterandcleaninthought,wordanddeed.Fromthedepthsofhisancestralanecdotagetheoldmanhaddraggedtalesofmoonlightchasesacrossrooftops,andtremendousbattleswithmiscreantswhich,ofcourse,hisgreat-grandadhadwondespitebeingheavilyoutnumbered.