Стража! Стража!

           Thebandits,yousee.Justbetweenyouandme-"hebeckonedCarrotcloser-"wehadawitchlookatit.Incaseitwasmagic.Butitisn’t.Quitethemostun-magicalswordshe’deverseen,shesaid.Theynormallyhaveabit,see,onaccountofit’slikemagnetism,Isuppose.Gotquiteanicebalance,though."

           Hehandeditover.

           Herummagedaroundsomemore."Andthenthere’sthis."Heheldupashirt."It’llprotectyou."

           Carrotfingereditcarefully.ItwasmadefromthewoolofRamtopsheep,whichhadallthewarmthandsoftnessofhogbristles.Itwasoneofthelegendarywoollydwarfvests,thekindofvestthatneedshinges.

           "Protectmefromwhat?"hesaid.

           "Colds,andsoon,"saidtheking."Yourmothersaysyou’vegottowearit.And,er...thatremindsme.MrVarneshisayshe’dlikeyoutodropinonthewaydownthemountain.He’sgotsomethingforyou."

           Hisfatherandmotherhadwavedhimoutofsight.Mintydidn’t.Funny,that.Sheseemedtohavebeenavoidinghimlately.

           He’dtakenthesword,slungonhisback,sandwichesandcleanunderwearinhispack,andtheworld,moreorless,athisfeet.InhispocketwasthefamousletterfromthePatrician,themanwhoruledthegreatfinecityofAnkh-Morpork.

           Atleast,that’showhismotherhadreferredtoit.Itcertainlyhadanimportant-lookingcrestatthetop,butthesignaturewassomethinglike"LupinSquiggle,Sec’y,pp".