Mother busy with an infant sister. Father all tied up with his work. Left him feeling all on his own, just when he got all involved in this ecology business and wanted to start doing something with his life. Very well. He’ll work his way through his problems one way or another, and I’ll thank you not to interfere.”

“You’ll thank me?” piped Baneen, skipping sideways a few steps before Mr. Sheperton’s nose, dancelike on the curled toes of his boots. “Thank me, will you, now? And if I’m not to interfere, what is it yourself is doing?”

“I’m one of the family,” growled Mr. Sheperton. “All the difference in the world.”

“Ah, indeed? Indeed? And does that give you the right to keep the boy from even considering all the fine help I could be offering?” Rolf’s eyes opened wider at this. “Why, a touch, merely a touch of gremlin magic, and he’ll find the answer to all his problems and dreams at once. All that in return for just a wee bit of help, hardly the liftin’ of his littlest finger…”

Mr. Sheperton growled and got to all four legs. Baneen leaped backwards a half step and then started to rise right off the ground. But they were both frozen in their places by a sudden roaring voice:

“BANEEN! AND WHAT ARE YOU UP TO NOW, ME SLIPPERY LITTLE MAN?” Another gremlin stepped from behind a bush. “What’s going on here?” he demanded “And who are you, dog?”

“Sheperton. Mr. Sheperton,” replied Shep, coldly.

Baneen glided back to the ground and touched down lightly. “Ah there, Lugh, darling,” Baneen said, keeping one eye on Shep. “Sure and all, the grim beast would have killed me five times over if it’d not been for your mighty self coming to my rescue…”

“Rescue is it? That depends on what it is that you’ve been up to,” snapped the second gremlin. “Now answer me quick, or I’ll be putting you under a spell in a damp cellar for five thousand years—and well, you know I can do it! That or anything else I’ve a mind to!”