“Mr. Sheperton, if you don’t mind!” Shep growled dangerously.

“Now, now, let’s not be having a misunderstanding,” said Baneen hastily, stepping between the sheepdog and Lugh. “Mr. Sheperton it is, indeed—so named by the family of the lad when they brought him home as a wee pup, nearly six long years ago.”

Rolf blinked. Slowly, out of far back in his mind, swam up a memory of the day when his father had brought the dog into their house. It was true—the first name they had given to the fuzzy, wobbly-legged puppy stumbling over the kitchen floor had been “Mr. Sheperton.” The name had been given because there was something pompous about the plump waddling puppy, even then. Of course, the original name was soon forgotten and shortened to “Shep.”

“—and may I present now,” Baneen was going on, “himself, Lugh of the Long Hand, Prince of all Gremlins on this chill and watery planet of yours, second to none but His Royal Majesty the King of Gremla Itself—long may its bright clouds of dust blow against the sunset.”

Baneen wound up this short speech by blowing his nose sentimentally.

Mr. Sheperton and Lugh grunted ungraciously at each other in acknowledgement of the introduction.

“Prince I am, and don’t you forget it,” said Lugh, shaking his fist once more at Baneen. “If there’s to be any dealings with human beings, I’ll be the one to do them. That’s understood?”

“To be sure, to be sure,” Baneen soothed. “How could you think I’d go and forget such a thing? I was only preparing the matter for your royal attention—it was nothing more than that I had in mind. Why, says I to myself, here’s a boy with troubles that a small touch of gremlin magic can mend, a noble dog to be assisted in his wardship of his—”

“Assisted? Who said I needed assistance?” gruffed Mr. Sheperton.

“No one. No one at all, at all. It was only a figure of speech I was making,” Baneen went on. “And here we are, exiles from the planet of our birth, the beautiful and dry Gremla, longing for a way to get back to its lovely, dusty caves. Why not put it all together, thought I, and with the noble Lugh of the Long Hand—the darling of all Gremla that was—to oversee, sure the end can be nothing but happiness for all concerned.”