The Adventures of a Three-Guinea Watch | Page 3

the world.
I lay untouched and apparently forgotten for several hours. Gradually getting my eyes accustomed to the darkness, and looking about me as far as I was able, I heard a ticking going on in a pocket not very far from the one I was in, which I at once concluded to proceed from the watch of my new master. Thinking I might be able to gain some information from him, I groped about till I found a small hole in my lodgings through which I was able to peep, and call.
"Tick!" said I, as loud as I could, to secure the attention of my fellow-watch.
"Who's that?" at once exclaimed the other.
"I'm a new watch, bought to-day."
"Humph! How much?"
"Three guineas."
"Chain and all?"
"No; five pounds with the chain."
"Humph, I cost thirty guineas. Never mind, you're for the boy."
"What boy?"
"The governor's. I heard him say he was going to get him one. That boy will be spoiled, as sure as I go on springs; he's made such a lot of. Have you been regulated?"
"I should think I have!" exclaimed I, in indignant recollection of my education.
"All right; keep your temper. What time are you?"
"Seven minutes to six."
"Wrong! It's seven and three-quarters!"
"How do you know?"
"Because that's what I make it."
"How do you know you are right?" I asked, wondering at my own impudence in thus questioning an old ticker.
"Look here, young fellow," said the other in an awful voice; "you don't seem to know you are addressing a gold watch that has neither gained nor lost a minute for five years! There! You may think yourself clever; but you're too fast."
"I'm sure I beg your--"
"That'll do!" said the offended veteran. "I want no more words."
I was completely shut up at this, and retired back to my pocket very crestfallen.
Presently I began to feel drowsy; my nerves seemed to get unstrung, and my circulation flagged. It was long after the time I had generally been in the habit of being wound up; and I began to be afraid I was really going to be left to go to sleep. That, by this time, I knew would be nothing short of a calamity. I therefore gave a slight tug at my chain.
"What's the matter?" it said, looking down.
"I've not been wound up."
"I can't help that," said the chain.
"Can't you let him know somehow?" I gasped, faintly.
"How can I? He's busy packing up books."
"Couldn't you catch yourself in his fingers or something? I'm in a bad way."
"I'll see," said the chain.
Presently I felt an awful tug at my neck, and I knew the chain had managed to entangle itself somehow with his fingers.
"Hullo!" I heard my master exclaim, "I mustn't smash Charlie's chain before I give it to him. I'd better put it and the watch away in my drawer till the morning. Heigho! it'll be a sad day for me to-morrow!"
As he spoke he drew me from the pocket, and, disengaging the chain from his button-hole, he laid us both in a drawer and shut it up. I was in despair, and already was nearly swooning from weakness.
He had shut the drawer, and his hand was still on the knob, when all of a sudden he exclaimed,--
"By the way, I must wind it up, or it'll stop!"
With what joy and relief I saw the drawer again opened, and felt myself taken out and wound up! Instantly new life seemed to infuse itself through my frame; my circulation revived, my nerves were strung again, and my drooping heart resumed its usual healthy throb. Little did my master think of the difference this winding up made to my health and comfort.
"Now you're happy!" said the chain, as we found ourselves once more in the drawer.
"Yes; I'm all right now, I'm glad to say," said I. "What's going to happen to us to-morrow?" I asked presently.
"We're going to be given to the boy, and he's going to school;" so the silver chain told me. "Nice time we shall have of it, I expect."
After that he went to sleep, and I fell to counting the seconds, and wondering what sort of life I was destined to lead.
About an hour after I heard two voices talking in the room.
"Well," said one, and I recognised it at once as my master's, "the packing's all finished at last."
"Ah, Charles," said the other, and it seemed to be a woman's voice speaking amid tears, "I never thought it would be so hard to part with him."
"Tut, tut!" said the first, "you mustn't give way, Mary. You women are so ready to break down. He'll soon be back;" but before my master had got to the end of his sentence he too had broken down.
For a long time they talked about their boy, their fine boy who had never before left his parents' roof,