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  “And thank you afterwards, your Highness...”

  “Of course... Thank you, thank you, thank you. Three times thank you, Sir... Now where is it?... The pancake, I mean... ?”

  The rain stopped as quickly as it had started and I put my paw out into the fresh air, just to check that everything was alright for us to come out.

  “What would you have done if there had been no gazebo to go into when the rain started, your Highness?” a little hoarse voice asked before I could hear him cough and I had a good long thunk before I answered.

  “Well... being the strong and athletic person I am,” I said complacently, even if it was the truth, “I would just have sat out here to brave the storm until it stopped, That’s what... and what would you have done, little man?”

  I think Angus Bruce had a good thunk himself because he surprised me with his answer...

  “Well now... being your friend, your Royal Highness and being just a little man. as you quite rightly say, I would just sit in under your strong athletic chest in the warmth of your majestic belly until the rain stopped... “

  Well naturally, although I was flattered, I thought he had a bit of a cheek. I was born the way I was where I could help him to keep dry indeed... and he had nothing to offer me.

  “Have you anything else in that old purse of yours?” I asked hoping there might be something that would compensate for my ability to act as an umbrella for him, but there was nothing when he tipped it out except a few old mouldy crumbs... well, I ask you, what sort of a friend is that?

  “I think I’ll get back to the house now... and I hope you will be able to go back to where you came from too,” I said, hoping he wouldn’t follow me or expect to get under my radiator in the kitchen... that is if Charlotte let me in... but he shrugged his shoulders and let out a deep sigh.

  “Don’t have no place to go, mate... er sorry, your Highness. My folks took off and left me behind, you see... “

  “What? Are you telling me that you are alone... and that you don’t have anyone to look after you?”

  Angus lowered his head and I could see his lower lip trembling.

  “That’s right,” he said... “I’ve been on my own for nearly two weeks now, but I can manage... I get a bikky or two here and a bit of pancake there... and sometimes I even get a square of chocolate... “

  I stared at him in disbelief and royal though I am, I suddenly became quite common for a moment as I asked him where he slept but he shrugged his shoulders again.

  “Under that old tree in Sampson’s orchard... .I think it’s an oak tree because its got big leaves and the rain doesn’t hit you in there... It’s the snow that bothers me and...”

  “Yes, yes, I know all about the snow,” I interrupted quickly hoping to avoid the incident of the cold rear again... “But you can’t stay out there all the time surely? What about in the cold winter... Surely you must be freezing and as you say... the snow... well that doesn’t agree with you.”

  “Nothing I can do about it, your Highness... I can’t put up a sign asking for someone to take care of me now, can I?”

  When Angus said that, I thought back to the time before Charlotte brought me to her lovely house and how I was with people who didn’t care for me at all. I remembered how they beat me... if I hissed and wouldn’t give me anything to eat if I did anything else in the house... and how I was always trying to get away from the place as soon as they left the doors open. I remembered too how the police would lock me up in a little cage in the police station until the dog warden came the following morning to take me to the dog home... and I shuddered...

  “No... No Angus...” I blurted... “We can’t have that. You stay here in the gazebo until I see what can be done up at the house. I might be able to drag a blanket down here for you when the grass isn’t so wet... How’s that?”

  Angus looked at me with tears in his little eyes.

  “Would you really do that for me, your Highness?” he asked and I put my noble arm around his shoulders...

  “Of course I would, mate... You just leave everything to your old friend here and think no more of it.”

  “But your Royal Highness, Mate... How can I ever thank you for being so kind?”

  “That’s what friends are for, Angus mate... “ I said and scudded up the garden.

  ***

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