Nancy patted his head. "I'm going to marry Ken, Shandy. And live in the settlement."
"You'll enjoy that."
"You think you'll stay this way?" Holman asked.
"I might. I don't know."
Holman held out his hand to Shandy. "Anyway, we want you to stay here and keep watch over things."
Shandy hesitated and then shook hands. "I might as well."
Holman and Nancy left for the settlement the next morning, with the suitcases.
Shandy, still in the shape of Uncle Maxwell, they left on the front steps of the ship. He waved goodbye to them. When they were gone, he changed slowly into a large teddy bear. Then, with a moist gleam in his eye, he went back to reading the thick, red-leather, picture encyclopedia in his lap.