“I think⁠—I think⁠—” Detective Smuff groped for an expression that would encompass the magnitude of the offence, “I think Mr. Hardy is guilty of obstructin’ the cause of justice,” he said grandly.

“Obstructing fiddlesticks!” said Mr. Hardy. “I’m minding my own business. Which is more than some police officers seem capable of doing.”

Chief Collig sighed.

“The trouble with you, Mr. Hardy,” he said, “is that you won’t cooperate. If you cooperated a little more, we would all be farther ahead. There ain’t any cooperation at all. Here is me and Smuff, doin’ our best to drive crime out of Bayport, and you won’t cooperate.”