"Bob-a-job, Missis!" he cried, in time-honoured fashion, when the door opened.

"Hello, John" said Mrs Blakely, pleased, on seeing him. "You've come at just the right moment. I was just thinking about clearing the attic - it's full of all sorts of rubbish. Would you like to help?"

"You bet!" came the reply.

They climbed the stairs to the top of the house. The attic covered almost the full area of the house, and it was full. Full of boxes, trunks, old suitcases, carrier bags, parcels, and piles of books and papers. Mrs Blakely looked around her.

"Where do we start?" she asked, not really expecting a reply.

John pulled a box free of the rest of the pile and opened it. It was full of old photographs, some sepia, some black and white, a very few coloured.

"Oh!" cried Mrs Blakely, clapping her hands in delight. She immediately sat on a little low stool which she pulled over to the box, and John sat on the floor beside her. She began to go through the photos, one by one, explaining to him who was on, where they had been taken, and what had happened to the people he could see. Two hours flew by, both thoroughly enjoying themselves. At last the bottom of the box was reached, and a picture of a beautiful girl in a wedding dress emerged.

"Who's this?" John asked. There was silence, and he looked at Mrs Blakely. Tears were trickling down her cheeks as she replied:

"That was me on my wedding day."

John took her hand.

"Well, don't cry - I think you are just as pretty now as you were then."

Mrs Blakely sniffed, smiled, and stood.

"Well, thank you, kind sir," she said. "You've been here a long time - I think it's time you went home. Here's your shilling. Now we haven't done much tidying, but I've enjoyed your company. Would you like to help me again?"

John nodded.

"Well come back tomorrow morning. Tell your Mum where you are coming, and I'll give you some lunch. And if you help me all day, I'll give you 10 shillings for the job."

John flew home, sure he was going to earn the biggest amount in the whole troop......(cont)