Rupert Gringe is the son of Augustus and Theodora Gringe, and the older brother of Lucy Gringe. He is apprenticed to Jannit Maarten, and works with her and Nicko Heap down at Jannit Maarten's Boatyard. However, he has inherited his father's mistrust of the Heaps (except Nicko), especially Simon Heap , and challenges him upon sight. He helped pull up the Dragon Boat after it sunk because of the RatStranglers.[citation needed]