'Right, sir,' said Teatime.

     'I'm sorry?' said Downey, momentarily distracted.

     'I have now thought of a plan, sir,' said Teatime, patiently.

     'You have?'

     'Yes, sir.'

     'As quickly as that?'

     'Yes, sir.'

     'Ye gods!'

     'Well,  sir,  you  know  we  are  encouraged to  consider  hypothetical problems.

     'Oh, yes. A very valuable exercise----' Downey stopped, and then looked shocked.

     'You mean you have actually  devoted  time to considering how to inhume the  Hogfather?' he said weakly. 'You've actually  sat  down and thought out how to do it? You've actually devoted your spare time to the problem?'

     'Oh, yes, sir. And the Soul Cake Duck. And the Sandman. And Death.'

     Downey blinked again. 'You've actually sat down and considered how to-'

     'Yes, sir. I've amassed quite an interesting  file. In  my own time, of course.'

     'I want to  be quite certain about this, Mister Teatime.  You  ... have ... applied ... yourself to a study of ways of killing Death?'

     'Only as a hobby, sir.'

     'Well, yes, hobbies,  yes,  I  mean,  I  used  to  collect  butterflies myself,' said Downey, recalling those first moments of awakening pleasure at the use of poison and the pin, 'but-' .

     'Actually, sir, the  basic methodology is exactly the same as  it would be for a human. Opportunity,  geography, technique . .  . You  just  have to work with the known facts about the individual concerned. Of course, with this one such a lot is known.'

     'And  You've  worked  it  all  out,  have  you?'  said  Downey,  almost fascinated.

     'Oh, a long time ago, sir.'

     'When, may I ask?'