Стража! Стража!

           TheSupremeGrandMasterspunonhisheel.

           "Anddotheykeeplookingapprehensivelyatthewoodwork,BrotherPlasterer?"

           BrotherPlastererhunghishead.Hehadn’trealisedanyonehadnoticed.

           Whenthetensionwastwangingsatisfactorily,likeabowstring,theSupremeGrandMasterstoodback.

           "WhydoIbother?"hesaid,shakinghishead."Icouldhavechosenanyone.Icouldhavepickedthebest.ButI’vegotabunchofchildren."

           "Er,honest,"saidBrotherWatchtower,"wewasmakinganeffort,Imean,wewasreallyconcentrating.Weren’twe,lads?"

           "Yes,"theychorused.TheSupremeGrandMasterglaredatthem.

           "There’snoroominthisBrotherhoodforBrotherswhoarenotbehindusalltheway,"hewarned.

           WithalmostvisiblerelieftheBrethren,likepanickedsheepwhoseethatahurdlehasbeenopenedinthefold,gallopedtowardstheopening.

           "Noworriesaboutthat,yoursupremity,"saidBrotherWatchtowerfervently.

           "Commitmentmustbeourwatchword!"saidtheSupremeGrandMaster.

           "Watchword.Yeah,"saidBrotherWatchtower.HenudgedBrotherPlasterer,whoseeyeshadstrayedtotheskirtingboardagain.

           "Wha?Oh.Yeah.Watchword.Yeah,"saidBrotherPlasterer.