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； Vimes's foot kicked savagely at the other one's kneecaps； bringing his chin down ready for another stab with the other elbow。
〃Right；〃 said Vimes absently。 He rubbed the elbow。 It was sheer agony。
He moved the cleaver to his other hand and hammered at the chains again； aware at the back of his mind that more guards were hurrying up； but with that special kind of run that guards had。 He knew it well。 It was the run that said； there's a dozen of us； let someone else get there first。 It said； he looks ready to kill； no one's paying me to get killed； maybe if I run slowly enough he'll get away 。 。 。
No point in spoiling a good day by catching someone。
Lady Ramkin shook herself free。 A ragged cheer went up and started to grow in volume。 Even in their current state of mind； the people of Ankh…Morpork always appreciated a performance。
She grabbed a handful of chain and wrapped it around one pudgy fist。
〃Some of those guards don't know how to treat。。。〃 she began。
〃No time； no time；〃 said Vimes； grabbing her arm。 It was like trying to drag a mountain。
The cheering stopped； abruptly。
There was a sound behind Vimes。 It was not； particularly； a loud noise。 It just had a peculiarly nasty carrying quality。 It was the click of four sets of talons hitting the flagstones at the same time。
Vimes looked around and up。
Soot clung to the dragon's hide。 A few pieces of charred wood had lodged here and there； and were still smouldering。 The magnificent bronze scales were streaked with black。
It lowered its head until Vimes was a few feet away from its eyes； and tried to focus on him。
Probably not worth running； Vimes told himself。 It's not as if I've got the energy anyway。
He felt Lady Ramkin's hand engulf his。
〃Jolly well done；〃 she said。 〃It nearly worked。〃
。。。
Charred and blazing wreckage rained down around the distillery。 The pond was a swamp of debris； covered with a coating of ash。 Out of it； dripping slime； rose Sergeant Colon。
He clawed his way to the bank and pulled himself up； like some sea…dwelling lifeform that was anxious to get the whole evolution thing over with in one go。
Nobby was already there； spread out like a frog； leaking water。
〃Is that you； Nobby？〃 said Sergeant Colon anxiously。
〃It's me； Sergeant。〃
〃I glad about that； Nobby；〃 said Colon fervently。
〃I wish it wasn't me； Sergeant。〃
Colon tipped the water out of his helmet； and then paused。
〃What about young Carrot？〃 he said。
Nobby pushed himself upon his elbows； groggily。
〃Dunno；〃 he said。 〃One minute we were on the roof； next minute we were jumping。〃
They both looked at the ashen waters of the pond。
〃I suppose；〃 said Colon slowly； 〃he can swim？〃
〃Dunno。 He never said。 Not much to swim in； up in the mountains。 When you e to think about it；〃 said Nobby。
〃But perhaps there were limpid blue pools and deep mountain streams；〃 said the sergeant hopefully。 〃And icy tarns in hidden valleys and that。 Not to mention subterranean lakes。 He'd be bound to have learned。 In and out of the water all day； I expect。〃
They stared at the greasy grey surface。
〃It was probably that Protective；〃 said Nobby。 〃P'raps it filled with water and dragged him down。〃
Colon nodded gloomily。
〃I'll hold your helmet；〃 said Nobby； after a while。
〃But I'm your superior officer！〃
〃Yes；〃 said Nobby reasonably； 〃but if you get stuck down there； you're going to want your best man up here； ready to rescue you； aren't you？〃
〃That's 。 。 。 reasonable；〃 said Colon eventually。 〃That's a good point。〃
〃Right； then。〃
〃Drawback is； though 。。。〃
〃What？〃
〃。 。 。1 can't swim；〃 Colon said。
〃How did you get out of that； then？〃
Colon shrugged。 〃I'm a natural floater。〃
Their eyes； once again； turned to the dankness of the pond。 Then Colon stared at Nobby。 Then Nobby； very slowly； unbuckled his helmet。
〃There isn't someone still in there； is there？〃 said Carrot； behind them。
They looked around。 He hoicked some mud out of an ear。 Behind him the remains of the brewery smouldered。
〃I thought I'd better nip out quickly； see what was going on；〃 he said brightly； pointing to a gate leading out of the yard。 It was hanging by one hinge。
〃Oh；〃 said Nobby weakly。 〃Jolly good。〃
〃There's an alley out there；〃 said Carrot。
〃No dragons in it； are there？〃 said Colon suspiciously。
〃No dragons； no humans。 There's no one around；〃 said Carrot impatiently。 He drew his sword。 〃e on！〃 he said。
〃Where to？〃 said Nobby。 He'd pulled a damp butt from behind his ear and was looking at it with an expression of deepest sorrow。 It was obviously too far gone。 He tried to light it anyway。
〃We want to fight the dragon； don't we？〃 said Carrot。
Colon shifted unfortably。 〃Yes； but aren't we allowed to go home for a change of clothes first？〃
〃And a nice warm drink？〃 said Nobby。
〃And a meal；〃 said Colon。 〃A nice plate of。。。〃
〃You should be ashamed of yourselves；〃 said Carrot。 〃There's a lady in distress and a dragon to fight and all you can think of is food and drink！〃
〃Oh； I'm not just thinking about food and drink；〃 said Colon。
〃We could be all that stands between the city and total destruction！〃
〃Yes； but。。。〃 Nobby began。
Carrot drew his sword and waved it over his head。
〃Captain Vimes would have gone！〃 he said。 〃All for one！〃
He glared at them； and rushed out of the yard。
Colon gave Nobby a sheepish look。
〃Young people today；〃 he said。
〃All for one what？〃 said Nobby。
The sergeant sighed。 〃e on； then。〃
〃Oh； all right。〃
They staggered out into the alley。 It was empty。
〃Where'd he go？〃 said Nobby。
Carrot stepped out of the shadows； grinning all over his face。
〃Knew I could rely on you；〃 he said。 〃Follow me！〃
〃Something odd about that boy；〃 said Colon； as they limped after him。 〃He always manages to persuade us to follow him； have you noticed？〃
〃All for one what？〃 said Nobby。
〃Something about the voice； I reckon。〃
〃Yes； but all for one what？〃
。。。
The Patrician sighed and； carefully marking his place； laid aside his book。 To judge from the noise there seemed to be an awful lot of excitement going on out there。 It was highly unlikely any palace guards would be around； which was just as well。 The guards were highly…trained men and it would be a shame to waste them。
He would need them later on。
He padded over to the wall and pushed a small block that looked exactly like all the other small blocks。 No other small block； however； would have caused a section of flagstone to grind ponderously aside。
There was a carefully chosen assortment of stuff in there…iron rations； spare clothes； several small chests of precious metals and jewels； tools。 And there was a key。 Never build a dungeon you couldn't get out of。
The Patrician took the key and strolled over to the door。 As the wards of the lock slid back in their well…oiled grooves he wondered； again； whether he should have told Vimes about the key。 But the man seemed to have got so much satisfaction out of breaking out。 It would probably have been positively bad for him to have told him about the key。 Anyway； it would have spoiled his view of the world。 He needed Vimes and hi