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! Instan