'I never done nuffin.'
'Good point, sergeant. Acting-Constable Detritus!'
'Sir?'
'Volunteer him.'
'I never done nuffin.'
'You can't do that!' shouted the dwarf.
'Ain't gonna be in no Watch,' growled Coalface.
Carrot leaned towards him. 'There's a hundred dwarfs over there. With great big axes,' he whispered.
Coalface blinked.
'I'll join.'
'Swear him in, acting-constable.'
'Permission to enrol another dwarf, sir? To maintain parity?'
'Go ahead, Acting-Constable Cuddy.'
Carrot removed his helmet and wiped his forehead.
'I think that's about it, then,' he said.
The crowd stared at him.
He smiled brightly.
'No-one has to stay here unless they want to,' he said.
'I never done nuffin.'
'Yes . . . but . . . look,' said Stronginthearm. 'If he didn't kill old Hammerhock, who did?'
'I never done nuffin.'
'Our inquiries are proceeding.'
'You don't know!'
'But I'm finding out.'
'Oh, yes? And when, pray, will you know?'
'Tomorrow.'
The dwarf hesitated.
'All right, then,' he said, with extreme reluctance. 'Tomorrow. But it had better be tomorrow.'
'All right,' said Carrot.
The crowd dispersed, or at least spread out a bit. Trolls, dwarfs and humans alike, an Ankh-Morpork citizen is never keen on moving on if there's some street theatre left.