"Maybe your good luck will counteract my bad luck," Ned suggests, but they make it up the rest of the steps without incident. From there, it's a short walk to his door, and it takes him longer than it ought to fish his keys out of the right pocket. When he opens the door, Digby is sitting patiently a few feet off, his tail sweeping back and forth against the floor, clearly having heard him coming. The dog looks quickly between Ned and the stranger, but doesn't rush at them, barking or sniffing their crotches or doing any of the other usual less-than-appropriate canine behaviors.

"If you're going to trip, there's a rug in the hallway that will do nicely. If you change your mind, there's a hook just there for your coat."