“Should I light it?” I asked, before realizing I hadn’t brought out any matches.
Grendel, who had been rummaging in the bag, lifted something out and, turning to smile at me, tossed me a package. I caught it and saw that it was a dozen boxes of matches in plastic wrap.
“Ha!” I cried. I extricated one of the matchboxes from the wrap and looked at him.
“Light it?” I asked again.
He nodded and, gently taking the remaining matchboxes from me, replaced them in the bag.
I squatted down and lit the lamp. When its tiny flame was burning steadily, I stood up and brandished the lamp, swinging it from side to side.
“Clang, clang, clang!” I cried. “Approaching points! Stop, then proceed with caution!”
Grendel laughed and I joined in. “Probably not correct,” I admitted, then added, “Why not an e
