"And there's one other thing" said Spike, "I work at a hundred dollars an
hour."

"That's fine, that's fine" said Miss Huddy, smiling so nicely Spike might
as well have told her she was looking good this morning for all the effect
it had had. "Can I pay you now?"

"If you like!" said Spike.

Miss Huddy fumbled around for her rather fat purse and found it, down in
one of her pockets. She opened it and shook the contents out on the table.
Spike's eyes widened in amazement.

Money! It spilled out on the table like autumn leaves. Hundred dollar
notes. Dozens of them! All packed together into small wads, or loose, and
new, and crisp. There must have been tens of thousands of dollars.

Miss Huddy sorted through the money with her long, bird's claw fingers as
if she was looking for something.

"How many of these do you want?" she asked.

"Just a few" said Spike, barely keeping his voice steady.

"Would this be enough?"

"Probably" said Spike, taking the thick wad of notes and flicking them
through at one end, "I'll let you know if it isn't?"

"You're a good boy," said Miss Huddy, "I trust you. There are people in
this world who just can't be trusted, but I knew as soon as I saw you that
you were an honest boy."

Spike smiled as he stuffed the money into his pocket.

"Well" he said, "Time to do some work"

"You just run along" said Miss Huddy, "And tell me when you're hungry.
I'll have a nice lunch ready whenever you come in."

Spike made his way down the hall and out the door. As soon as he was
outside he stuck his hands into the air and jumped off the veraudah.

"Yes!" he said.

He went round the back of the house, pushing his way through the thick
growth. The shed was there. It was made of red brick, with sagging doors,
and it was as big as a large garage. He pulled one of the doors open
slightly and squeezed through the gap. There was a light-switch on the
wall. He turned it on.