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"Personally," said Captain Carrot "I a" He tapped a box by his side "And I araph and intend to take es of our world from the perspective of space which will perhaps cause us to see huht"
"Is this the ti at his fellow voyagers "No" said Lord Vetinari "Possibly on grounds of insanity?"
"Your own I assume?"
"Take your pick!" Vetinari beckoned Rincewind forward "But it could be said that someone would have to be insane to take part in this venture" he murmured "In which case, of course, you are fully qualified"
"Thensupposing I'm not insane?"
"Oh, as ruler of Ankh-Morpork I have a duty to send only the keenest, coolest aze for a moment "I think there's a catch there," said the wizard, knowing that he'd lost "Yes The best kind there is" said the Patrician The lights of the anchored ships disappeared into the an to pull "No turning back now," said Leonard There was a roll of thunder, and fingers of lightning walked along the Edge of the world
"Just a squall, I expect" he added, as fat drops of rain thudded on the tarpaulins "Shall we get aboard? The draglines will keep us pointed directly at the Riht as well ht to release the fire boats first, sir," said Carrot "Silly et my own head if it asn't held on with bones and skin and things!" A The hel chair (for ) E Pedals (for rudder) F Device for Looking Behind You G Fraground level) I Wing winding handle J Dragon Blinkers handle K Mirror Array handle L Salmon of Thunder on Pod Separation O Device for slowing instantly P Troba (wing jettison, endeavour not to use) Q Windscreen wiper R Seat adjuster S Prince Haran's Tiller T Whig capstan release U Cup holders Editor's note: Just like Leonardo da Vinci, Leonard of Quirm famously wrote backwards, a talent not unusual in left-handed people Sadly, but for the purpose of clarity and the continued sanity of our readers, we have been forced to print the handwriting the wrong way round A couple of ship's boats had been sacrificed for the attehtly, laden as they ith spare tins of varnish, paint and the reons' supper Carrot picked up a couple of lanterns and, after a couple of tries in the gusting wind,to Leonard's instructions Then the boats were cast adrift Freed of the drag of the barge, they pulled away in the quickening current The rain was haet aboard," said Leonard, ducking back out of the rain "A cup of tea will do us good"
"I thought we decided we couldn't have any naked fla a special jug of s warm" said Leonard "Or cold, if you prefer I call it the Hot or Cold Flask, I am at a loss as to how it knohich it is that you prefer, but nevertheless it seems to work" He led the way up the ladder Only one small lamp lit the little cabin It illu a network of levers, ars The crew had been up here before They knew the layout There was one little bed further aft, on the basis that there would only he tis had been stapled to every bit of unused wall to bold water bottles and food Unfortunately, some of Lord Vetinari's committees, devised in order to prevent theiri the craft It appeared packed for every eventuality, including alligator-wrestling on a glacier Leonard sighed "I really didn't like to say no to anyone" he said "I did suggest that, er, nourishing but concentrated and er, low-residue food would be preferred-" As one man, they turned in their seats to look at the Experimental Privy Mk 2 Mk I had worked -Leonard's devices tended to - but since a key to its operation was that it tumbled very fast on a central axis while in use it had been abandoned after a report by its test pilot (Rincewind) that, whatever you had inyou wanted to do once inside was get out Mk 2 was as yet untried It creaked oaze, an open invitation to constipation and kidney stories "It will undoubtedly function," said Leonard, and just this once Rincewind noted the har the correct valves in sequence"
"What happens if we don't open the right valves in sequence, sir?" said Carrot, buckling hin so an "We'd still like to know," said Rincewind "Erin truth, what happens if you don't open the right valves in sequence is that you ish you had opened the right valves in sequence," said Leonard He fue n "Tea, anyone?" he said "Just a small cup," said Carrot firmly "Make ing in the ceiling in front ofbehind you," said Leonard "It's very si Behind You"
"Looking behind you is a bad move," said Rincewind firmly "I've always said so It slows you down"
"Ah, but this on't slon at all"
"Really?" said Rincewind, brightening up A squall of rain banged on the tarpaulins Carrot tried to see ahead A gap had been cut in the covers so that the- "By the waywhat are we?" he said "I mean, what do we call ourselves?"
"Possibly foolish" said Rincewind "I meant officially" Carrot looked around the crammed cabin "And what do we call this craft?"
"The wizards call it the big kite" said Rincewind "But it's nothing like a kite, a kite is so which-"