His friend Bill Machgan told him of a dream, a week old, in which he lay at the base of a huge tree while a great leashed dog barked at him; a fiery outlined being of light came down with the dog, unleashed it and melted into him, whereupon he ran to the topmost room and the dog came in and licked his face. Neville tells him the dog is the Hound of Heaven and that Christ is now his intimate companion.