Стража! Стража!

           Afewpiecesofcharredwoodhadlodgedhereandthere,andwerestillsmouldering.Themagnificentbronzescaleswerestreakedwithblack.

           ItlowereditsheaduntilVimeswasafewfeetawayfromitseyes,andtriedtofocusonhim.

           Probablynotworthrunning,Vimestoldhimself.It’snotasifI’vegottheenergyanyway.

           HefeltLadyRamkin’shandengulfhis.

           "Jollywelldone,"shesaid."Itnearlyworked."

           Charredandblazingwreckageraineddownaroundthedistillery.Thepondwasaswampofdebris,coveredwithacoatingofash.Outofit,drippingslime,roseSergeantColon.

           Heclawedhiswaytothebankandpulledhimselfup,likesomesea-dwellinglifeformthatwasanxioustogetthewholeevolutionthingoverwithinonego.

           Nobbywasalreadythere,spreadoutlikeafrog,leakingwater.

           "Isthatyou,Nobby?"saidSergeantColonanxiously.

           "It’sme,Sergeant."

           "Igladaboutthat,Nobby,"saidColonfervently.

           "Iwishitwasn’tme,Sergeant."

           Colontippedthewateroutofhishelmet,andthenpaused.

           "WhataboutyoungCarrot?"hesaid.

           Nobbypushedhimselfuponhiselbows,groggily.

           "Dunno,"hesaid."Oneminutewewereontheroof,nextminutewewerejumping."

           Theybothlookedattheashenwatersofthepond.

           "Isuppose,"saidColonslowly,"hecanswim?"

           "Dunno.Heneversaid.Notmuchtoswimin,upinthemountains.Whenyoucometothinkaboutit,"saidNobby.

           "Butperhapstherewerelimpidbluepoolsanddeepmountainstreams,"saidthesergeanthopefully.