‘No, he’ll exist in this here, but not in the other here. I don’t think he’ll be existing anywhere for very long anyway,’ said Johnny. ‘Come on.’

‘What’s in the envelope?’ said Kirsty, as they left.

Johnny was surprised. Usually she’d say some thing like ‘Let’s see what’s in this, then,’ while snatching it out of his hand.

‘It’s for Wobbler,’ said Johnny.

‘He’s written a letter to himself ? What’s he say?’

‘How do I know? I don’t open other people’s letters!’

Johnny shoved the envelope back into his inside pocket.

‘The keep-fit club should have finished by now,’ he said. ‘Come on.’

‘Wait,’ said Kirsty. ‘If we’re going back to 1941, let’s go prepared this time, shall we?’

‘Yeah,’ said Bigmac. ‘Armed.’

‘No. Properly dressed, I mean.’

Chapter 9

‘Every Little Girl …’

It was an hour later. They met behind the church, in the damp little yard where they’d left the trolley.

‘All right,’ said Kirsty. ‘Where did you get that outfit, Johnny?’

‘Grandad’s got loads of stuff in the attic. These are his old football shorts. And he always wears old pullovers, so I thought that was probably OK, too. And I’ve got my project stuff in this box in case it helps. It’s genuine 1940s. It’s what they carried gasmasks in.

‘Oh, is that what they are?’ said Bigmac. ‘I thought people had rather big Walkmans.’

‘At least take the cap off, you look like Just William,’ said Kirsty. ‘What’s this, Yo-less?’

‘Me and Bigmac went along to that theatre shop in Wallace Street,’ said Yo-less. ‘What do you think?’ he added uncertainly.

He shuffled round nervously. He was wearing a broad-brimmed hat, shoes with soles like two bumper cars parked side by side, and tight trousers. At least, what could be seen of the trousers looked tight.

‘Is that an overcoat?’ said Johnny critically.

‘It’s called a drape jacket,’ said Yo-less.

‘Bright red,’ said Kirsty. ‘Yes, I can see no one will notice you at all. And those trousers … you must have had to grease your feet to get them on.’

‘It looks a bit … stylish,’ said Johnny. ‘You know … jazzy.’

‘The man in the shop said it’s about right for the period,’ said Yo-less defensively.

‘You look like you’re about to play the saxophone,’ said Johnny. ‘I mean … well, I’ve never seen you looking so … you know … cool.’

‘That’s why it’s a disguise,’ said Yo-less.

Kirsty turned to Bigmac, and sighed.

‘Bigmac, why is it I get this feeling you’ve missed the point?’

‘I told him,’ said Yo-less. ‘But he wouldn’t listen.’

‘The man said they wore this in 1941,’ said Bigmac defensively.

‘Yes, but don’t you think that people might notice it’s a German uniform?’

Bigmac looked panicky.

‘Is it? I thought Yo-less was trying to wind me up! I thought they had all swastikas and stuff!’

‘That’s the Gestapo. You’re dressed up like an ordinary German soldier.’