So it was a great relief when, next time we went down the path, I smelled a whiff of wood-smoke and there Eli was, sitting on the step, puffing on his pipe as though he’d never been away. He hailed us like long-lost friends.

‘Where’ve you been these past few days?’ I asked.

‘Out and about,’ he said vaguely. ‘Got friends down Bures way.’ I didn’t press him any further; perhaps he’d just been enjoying a change of air. He turned to Jimmy, patting him on the head. ‘And how’s life with you, my young friend?’

‘There’s a dragon,’ Jimmy said.

‘A dragon? Well, there’s a thing.’ Eli feigned astonishment, although the glint in his eyes gave it away. ‘You’ve seen it? You lucky fellow. Where? In the lake?’

‘For church.’

‘Great heavens, whatever’s the dragon doing in that holy place?’ Eli turned to me, his grey bushy eyebrows raised. As I explained about the stained-glass window design, he began to chuckle so hard it turned into a coughing fit that took some minutes to calm down. ‘I’ll have to take a look. Give ’em the benefit of my opinion. Not that anyone’ll take a blind bit of notice of what I think.’

He made tea and came back to sit down, relit his pipe and took a long draw, which set off another bout of coughing. The rattle in his lungs seemed to be getting worse.

‘Have you heard any more about the council-house business, Eli?’ I asked, when he’d caught his breath. ‘My father tried to dissuade the committee but it didn’t make any difference, I’m afraid.’

‘Yep, I got a new letter the other day. Says I’ll have to move end of next week. For the sake of my welfare, or some such guff. Over my dead body, I says.’

I was shocked. So little time to stop this horrible threat. ‘What can we do to help?’

He shook his head. ‘You’re a good lassie, but there ain’t nothing’s going to stop that man.’

‘What if we ask other people in the village?’

‘Huh,’ he scoffed. ‘That lot don’t care a jot about old Eli. They’d as soon have me tidied neatly away as lift a finger to help.’

As we walked home, Jimmy asked me what was going to happen to Eli. He didn’t fully grasp all the complications, but he understood enough.

‘Must help him,’ he said.

‘You’re right, Jim. We’ll make a plan, don’t you worry.’