It all began at the end of his first week in the new manor, or perhaps it would be more correct to call it a newly acquired manor, as the building itself and the earth upon which it rested had been in place for much longer than their new owner. In any case, the Magistrate was just ruffling up the Sunday Times, easing back into the lovely cast iron garden chair that he had placed at an angle on the patio flags to offer the optimal view of the lawns.

First his eyes, and then the full length of his nose appeared over the top of the "Arts on the Town" section (he was preparing his summer social calendar). Yes, indeed, something was scuffling about in the rhododendrons.

"Now, then, is someone there?" he barked out in his best court voice, dropping his paper to the table. There came a sharper rustling and then a small squeak, and suddenly a rangy little orange creature burst from the bushes and sprawled upon the lawn. Casting a scowl back at the offending shrub, the newly arrived picked himself up, dusted off a rather faded black-and-white striped shirt, and trotted over to the Magistrate's table.

"Hulloooo..." said the creature, smiling coyly up at him. He had quirking little ears, rather bulging eyes that sat wide and low on the head, and skin like some disastrously orange tadpole. The smile was disarmingly tender.

The magistrate sat back in his chair. "Good day to you, young sir!" he gasped, chuckling. "I dare say I've been quite remiss in meeting my new neighbors. And who might you be?"

"I'm a howie," said Howie, batting his eyelashes coquettishly.

"Well, then," laughed the Magistrate, rising rather regally in his long robes. "And I am Lord Pinkly, Magistratus Imperius." He rolled his R's impressively. Howie blinked. "And what of your acquaintance? You both must join me for tea and a bit of this lovely currant jam."

At that, the rhododendron began fussing about again, and presently produced a quite rotund fellow in rough grey skin who looked to be mostly mouth and belly. Clearly the shrubbery had been filled to capacity.

"Tha's Zuzu," explained Howie importantly. "He eats dandelions."

"Well, I'm sure that can be arranged," remarked the Magistrate, watching Zuzu waddle across the lawn.

"No need, brought my own," called Zuzu, raising a round wicker basket as proof.

"Never leaves home without it," said Howie reverently.

"Indeed," muttered the Magistrate, amused.

Zuzu puffed and padded up to the table and plopped his bulk down onto a chair. "Lovely morning, isn't it?" he asked, treating the Magistrate to an enormously toothy grin. He plonked his basket rather too hard on the glass-topped table. "Dandelion?"

"Well, yes, all right," replied the Magistrate, accepting a golden blossom and easing back into his seat. "Tea?"

"Never after eleven," said Zuzu seriously. "Bad for the gut."

"Ah," said the Magistrate, raising his eyebrows.

"I would like mine with extra sugar, please," said a squeaky voice. "And cream!" Suddenly a pair of pointy ears appeared above the table top, followed by a pair of bulging yellow eyes and a long, dirty snout. A pair of very grubby hands took hold of the edge of the glass. "Hi!" said the creature, and giggled.

"That's Opie," said Howie seriously, claiming a seat next to the Magistrate. "He's dirty."

"Indeed," mused the Magistrate, regarding the muddy prints accumulating on the tabletop.

Opie giggled again and looked over at Zuzu. "Hi!" he squeaked again, grinning and bouncing up and down excitedly.

Zuzu stopped munching long enough to cast a glowing smile on his little friend. "Heh, heh," he chuckled through a mouthful of dandelion. His large eyes rolled back to look at the Magistrate again. "If you need any of your flowerbeds turned under, Mr. Pinky, just give Opie a bucket of water, and show him where to play. Ha, HA!" He opened his huge mouth and laughed.

The magistrate had never seen quite so much half-chewed dandelion in his life, but he managed to smile in return. "That's Lord Pinkly," he said weakly, but no one was really listening. ("What's a pipsy?" asked Opie, still bouncing.) He sighed.

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