On reaching Skeldale house, Siegfried insisted on supporting his 'brother' into the living room, the dogs dancing excitedly around them as always. A large, motherly-looking woman with grey streaks in her hair stared at them in amazement as they entered

"Heaven 'elp us, Mr Tristan," she exclaimed in a broad local accent "What on earth 'appened?"

"Took a cricket ball to the sternum, Mrs Hall," interjected Siegfried; "Nothing that won't be alright with a bit of rest." She looked unconvinced, but nodded.

"Well, if you need anything, you know where I am, Mr Tristan." So saying, she disappeared back into the kitchen. Siegfried deposited the unresisting Time Lord onto a sofa and looked down at him with concern. "You're sure you'll be alright here? I really should go and get my stethoscope just to make sure."

"No! No! I mean, I'm absolutely fine" The Doctor smiled up at him weakly. "Just a bit winded. Shouldn't you be getting back to the game?"

"Yes, yes; probably right, little brother. Now, you just stay there and- well… yes…" He strode out of the room, bawling at the dogs to follow him, and the Doctor was left with the distinct impression that this fatherly attitude didn't come naturally to the elder of the Farnons. Especially not towards his younger brother.

There was a brief pause, then a tentative knock on the french windows opposite, and the real Tristan appeared, accompanied by Tegan. Rising to let them in, he noticed that both looked slightly ashen, and realised with a guilty start that this must be on his account. Vaguely, he wondered where Turlough was.

"Doctor! You're alright!" Tegan's relief was evident. It was nice to know she cared at least some of the time, he reflected. Tristan, on the other hand, still appeared concerned.

"Are you really not hurt? At least let me check your pulse old chap; there could be long-term effects." He grabbed the Doctor's wrist, and blanched. "You're fibrillating! Sit down! Tegan, get Mrs Hall to ring for an ambulance!" The Doctor looked at him calmly, and gently detached his wrist.

"Didn't Tegan explain that I have two hearts? You check if you like, but I'm absolutely fine. The ball hit me in between them." Tristan took a stethoscope from a heap of papers and other paraphernalia on the sideboard and slowly put it to the Doctor's chest, moved it about a bit, shook it, listened again and eventually looked up at the Doctor in disbelief.

"So you really are an alien?" The Doctor nodded.

"Well, yes, actually, but that's not really the point. The point is…Tegan…why are you so wet?" She exploded.

"Well, that's nice! First you drag me here just so that you can get your cricket fix, then you scare me half to death getting hit by a cricket ball, now you're insulting me for no apparent reason!"

"No-" the Doctor's expression was exactly that of a small puppy that had just been kicked and didn't know why "-I meant your clothes."

"Oh." Tegan had the grace to blush slightly, "well, it's a long story and really concerns you, well, the TARDIS at least..." Before she had a chance to explain any further, Tristan, hearing Mrs Hall's step in the passage, grabbed both of them, bounded across the room, and bundled them out of the french doors.

"Sorry!" He hissed- "Mrs Hall's coming. Keep down!" A moment later, there was a knock at the door and the housekeeper entered.

"Mr Tristan? I've brought you a cup of tea and- what are you doing over there? You come and sit back down at once."

"I'm fine, Mrs Hall. Never better, I assure you."

"Well, you know best, I'm sure. But I was just coming in to say that I'm off down to t'cricket pitch to fetch your brother or Mr 'erriot. Jack 'ampson's just been on t'phone to say that he's got a cow coming down wi' summat or other, and he wants someone to 'ave a look at it. Are you sure you'll be alright?"

"Absolutely positive, Mrs Hall. Now you go and sort out Jack Hampson's something or other, and I'll mind the fort here. Give my love to Siegfried!" He hustled her out of the door, returned to the french doors and peered out in time to hear Tegan explaining the talking dog affair to his double.

"So, what happened after you fell in?" the Doctor was questioning; "you just came straight to find me?"

"No! I'm not an idiot. I told it- him- to lay low and that I had a friend who could help him get home. He was very nice, actually. Absolutely mortified to think he'd startled me, and terribly polite. He said it would be easy enough for him to keep himself hidden away."

"Hmmm" The Doctor looked pensive "Well, it sounds like one of the Sheppa, but what one of those would be doing down here, I have no idea. They don't even reach this part of the galaxy for another few centuries. Well, Tristan, it was wonderful to meet you, and thank-you so much for the cricket, but we'd really best see what we can do about getting this poor creature home. You didn't happen to notice Turlough on your travels, did you, Tegan?" As he spoke, however, there was a knock on the door, and Tristan held up his hand to delay the other two from leaving, waited for Mrs Hall to answer it, remembered with embarrassment that she had just left and went to answer it himself. On the doorstep was a tiny girl, no more than seven years old or so, who stared up at Tristan shyly and murmured;

"There's a dog been hurt." Tristan crouched down so that he was at eye-level with the girl,

"Really?" he enquired gently; "whereabouts is it?" The reply was barely audible;

"Down by t'river."

"Where by the river?"

"Near where t'ducklings are."

"I think I know where that is. And how is it hurt?"

"Dunno."

"Well, you're a very clever girl for coming to us about it. And don't worry; we'll soon have it as right as rain." The young man soothed. Sending the little girl away with one of the sweets Siegfried kept especially for the younger clients, he returned to the living room. "Did you hear?"

"We heard." The Doctor's face was grave. "I suppose she was describing where Tegan found the Sheppa?"

"From your description of it, I'd say that's exactly the place. The local kids feed the ducks there all year round."

"Well, if it is him, this is very serious. They're an immensely evolved, civilised race, you see, but, unlike most highly evolved species, they haven't evolved at the cost of instinct."

"What does that mean?" enquired Tegan.

"Well, in the case of the Sheppa, they're a civilised, cultured, articulate race until they become hurt or receive any very strong emotional stimulus, in which case they become creatures of pure instinct. They even lose their capacity for language. If this Sheppa is hurt, then he won't even recognise you Tegan, or understand that we're trying to help him."

"In short, he'll become another frightened, injured dog?" interjected Tristan.

"Exactly. And there's worse, but let's hope it doesn't come to that. The thing to do now is to find him before anyone else does, and to hope that he's not seriously hurt."

"I'll get my stuff." Tristan turned to go to the surgery, but was stopped by the Doctor.

"Tristan, you're coming?"

"Well, yes. I am a vet, after all. Probably a better than a doctor for this kind of case, don't you think?"

"Won't your brother be annoyed to find you gone?"

"Probably" the young man didn't seem unduly perturbed at the thought. "I'll leave him a note. Talking of which, are you sure you're alright to come? That ball must have come fast enough to crack a rib, even if it missed your hearts."

"Well, a couple of very slight fractures, but they're healing already. We Time Lords heal faster than you humans."

"We'll go round the back way, then. It's not really any longer, and there's much less risk of people seeing us and asking questions."