The next day, Ula visited her cousin, Lobbus the brave dog Lobbus, who lived in a house by the canal on Prince Street or, as the humans called it, Prinsengracht.

The two dogs were very happy to see each other and barked little barks of happiness and sniffed each other’s tails, going round and round in a circle for quite a few minutes. Then, somewhat out of breath, they sat down in front of the house where Lobbus lived and looked out at the passing boats as they floated along the beautiful canal. Lobbus offered Ula some water from his water bowl.

‘Ula, my dear cousin, how good it is to see you again. What is your news?’

So Ula told her cousin, Lobbus the brave dog Lobbus, all that had happened from the time she came back from Puppies Anonymous and found her painted house all closed up, about getting chased by the big scary grey dog that was probably Grayston, and then about getting caught in the rain twice and not being able to shake off the wet dog smell that the humans at the front desks of hotels didn’t like.

‘What are you talking about? You smell great, as good as always,’ said Lobbus, reassuringly, before adding, ‘And I just spent five minutes going round in circles smelling your tail! So I’m very up to date on this matter.’

Ula continued with her story, telling Lobbus how kind Mr Sabatini had been, how she ended up in a room with Catvinkle, who seemed to have become her friend, and how she now found herself preparing to go to the home of a big scary grey dog in order to help Anja and Ferdi get their favourite ball back.

‘Wait a minute, you said this new friend, Catvinkle, is a cat, yes?’ asked Lobbus.

‘Yes, she’s a cat,’ said Ula.

‘Are you sure you can trust her?’

‘Well, she seems very nice,’ said Ula.

‘A cat who seems very nice,’ said Lobbus, more to himself than to Ula as they continued to look at the canal. ‘Ula, you know me, I’ve met a lot of animals in my many travels over the years, and I’ve always found that it’s helpful to try to get along with them. I once shared a train carriage with a llama. He had some business in Vladivostok – one of his children wanted a position in their zoo. This llama – Roy Llama was his name, and still is – said to his son, “No, not Vladivostok Zoo until I can check it out for you.” I admired his love for his children and told him so. We shared a water bowl and talked for hours into the night. A delightful fellow! At the end we sniffed tails and told each other we’d try to keep in touch. And we have. In fact, I’m due to be meeting Roy Llama tomorrow to play backgammon.’

‘Really?’ asked Ula.

‘Yes, and that’s not the most amazing part. This is the same Roy Llama who helped me trace some of our family tree. It turns out – if you go back far enough – we’re distantly related to a llama on your mother’s side.’

‘Wow!’ said Ula with excitement.

‘So you see I’m open-minded to many animals. But,’ said Lobbus with some concern in his voice, ‘this Catvinkle is a cat. She volunteered you to help the children, she’s not going to be there, and now you have to go to see Grayston all by yourself?’

‘But Catvinkle told the children I wanted to help them and it’s true. I do like helping.’

‘You were always a good dog, loving and trusting, right from the time you were a puppy. But perhaps you’ve been too trusting this time. I hate to say this and to make you doubt your new friend, but this Catvinkle is a cat. And we are dogs.’

‘Lobbus, what should I do? Will you help me? Will you come with me to help me get the children’s ball?’

Lobbus thought for a moment and then said, ‘Oh, Ula, I sniff your tail, I share water and snacks with you, I share great news about our family’s connection to llamas, but this magic ball business has me worried. Are you sure it’s not a cat trick that could get us both into trouble at the paws of another dog, and then Catvinkle will have her room back all to herself?’

Ula thought about this. It was a horrible thought. After a moment she came to the conclusion that she had to be brave and trust her heart.

‘She really is my friend, Lobbus. She’s even told me her secrets.’

‘Secrets! What secrets?’ asked Lobbus.

‘She has three secrets.’

‘Really, what are they?’

‘I can’t tell you. She made me promise.’

‘My dear Ula, I’m a dog and your cousin. You can tell me. Perhaps if I know her secrets I can help you solve this problem that your new kitten friend has so generously given you while she stays home by the fire.’

Ula didn’t know what to do. She was bred to chase fire trucks, which didn’t require as much thinking in a month as she was having to do this week. She was tired, mainly around her head.

‘Okay, I’ll tell you the first one of the three secrets but then I’ll have to stop.’

‘All right, tell me the first one,’ said Lobbus.

Ula took a deep breath and said, ‘She only has two secrets.’

‘I thought you said she has three?’ said Lobbus.

‘Yes, I did. That’s her first secret.’

‘What is?’ asked Lobbus.

‘That she only has two secrets,’ answered Ula.

‘That’s her first secret?’ asked Lobbus in disbelief.

‘Yes,’ answered Ula.

‘Gee, I would never have guessed that,’ said Lobbus.

‘No, of course not, it’s a secret. You mustn’t tell,’ said Ula.

‘I promise I won’t tell, not even a kind-hearted llama would I tell,’ said Lobbus. ‘Okay, I’ve got an idea. If Catvinkle will meet with me and discuss the whole Grayston-rubber-ball matter with me then I will help you. But if she won’t meet with me, I say it’s too dangerous for both of us.’