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Read Ebook: The Adventures of a Three-Guinea Watch by Reed Talbot Baines
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Ebook has 2192 lines and 77258 words, and 44 pages
"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,--
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.
"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, and was about now to step out into the treacherous world. How they trembled for him, yet how proudly and confidently they spoke of his prospects; how lovingly they recalled all their life together, from the days when he could first toddle about, down to the present.
Many tears were mingled with their talk, and many a smothered sob bespoke a desperate effort to subdue their common sorrow. At last they became quieter, then I heard my master say,--
"I positively have never shown you the watch I got for him," and with that he opened the drawer and produced me.
"Oh, Charles," cried the mother, "how delighted he will be, and what a capital watch it is!"
And she looked at me affectionately for a long time, for her son's sake, smiling through her tears, and then put me back.
Need I say that as these two knelt together that night, their only son was not forgotten in their prayers?
So ended the first day of my adventures.
HOW I WAS PRESENTED TO A BOY, AND OF A CERTAIN JOURNEY WE TOOK TOGETHER.
Very early next morning, when my hands scarcely pointed to five o'clock, the little household was astir. There was a noise of hurried going and coming, and of trunks being carried down stairs, and for the first time I heard mingled with the sedate voices of my master and his wife, another voice, cheery and musical, which I at once guessed to belong to my future lord and master.
It was not till after this bustle had been going on for a good while that I was taken out of the drawer and put back into the pocket in which I had spent so many anxious hours the day before. But here I was destined not to remain long, as will be seen.
Breakfast was a sad meal to that little family. Even the gay, high- spirited boy was sobered in anticipation of the coming parting, and as to his parents, they dared not open their lips for fear of breaking down.
Then there was a rumbling of wheels in the street, and a banging about of boxes at the hall door; then a last long embrace between mother and son. She no longer resisted her grief, and he for the time forgot everything but her he was leaving; then father and son stepped into the cab and drove away.
I felt the father's heart beating quicker and his chest heaving deeper as we proceeded. Presently his hand stole to the pocket where I lay hid, and he said--
"Charlie, boy, I've said all I have to say to you. You will remember our talk last night, I am sure, and I shall remember it too. I have no greater wish than to see my boy brave and honest and true to himself. Remember always I am your father, and never hesitate to tell me whenever you are in trouble, or danger, or--and I hope this won't often be--in disgrace. See here," said he, drawing me forth, "this is a watch which your mother and I have got for you. Think of us when you use it; and mind this, Charlie, make the best use of time, or time will become your enemy."
The poor man faltered out these words with a half-broken heart, as he handed me to his son.
The boy's eyes brightened and his face became radiant at the sight of his unexpected treasure. What boy does not covet a watch of his own at some time or other?
"Oh, father!" he cried, "how good and kind of you! What a beauty!"
The father smiled to see his son's delight, and helped to fasten the chain to his button-hole.
"Were you?" inquired the father.
"Of course I was, and you knew it. What a swell I shall be! And it will always be sure to remind me of home."
While this talk was going on I had leisure to examine my new owner. Picture to yourselves a curly-haired, bright-eyed boy of thirteen with honest, open face, good features, and winning smile. He is big for his age, and strongly built. At present his form is arrayed in a brand-new suit of grey; his collar is new and his tie is new, his boots are new and his socks are new; everything is new about him, down to the very guard of his hat, and he himself is the newest and purest of all. Was ever such a radiant young hero turned loose into the world?
And now, over and above his other glories, he had me to crown all. The graceful curve of my chain on his waistcoat gave that garment quite a distinguished appearance, and the consciousness of a silver watch in his pocket made him hold his head even higher than usual.
"He is a beauty!" again he broke out, "exactly the kind I like most. I'll take ever such a lot of care of him." And so saying, he began to swing me at the end of the chain, till I suddenly came sharply into collision with the door of the cab.
With that we reached the railway station, and in the bustle that ensued I was for the time forgotten.
Charlie's trunks were duly labelled for Randlebury, and then came the hardest moment of all, when father and son must part.
"I wonder if you'll be altered, Charlie, when I see you again."
"Not for the worse I hope, anyhow," replied the boy, laughing.
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