"Why?" asked Tom.
"They happen to be my favorite food, that's all," explained the Shaggy Man.
Led by Twiffle, the Shaggy Man and the two children were advancing over the meadow toward the Castle of Conjo. The sun was now setting, burnishing the spires and turrets of the castle with rich hues of gold and copper. The Shaggy Man judged they had less than a half a mile to travel to the castle doors.
"Don't you children think introductions are in order?" asked the Shaggy Man, "since you seem to know me already."
"Well," Twink began, "this is Twiffle who is a third cousin of Twoffle."
Twiffle bowed briefly and the Shaggy Man nodded.
"And this is Tom, and I am Twink. We live in Buffalo."
"Wait a minute," interrupted the Shaggy Man. "How did you happen to get a name like Twink?"
"Twink and Tom are not our real names," explained Tom. "Our parents named us Abbadiah and Zebbidiah."
"Why did they do that?" asked the Shaggy Man indignantly.