y's reply.

"How queer!"

"Not queer at all. I've seen lots of chimneys tied on that way."

Bab doubted this, but Lucy was proud to think how much Jimmy knew.

"Six minutes past five," said she, looking at the watch again. "It takes
these little hands just as long to go round this little face as it takes
a clock's hands to go round a clock's face. How funny!"

"Not funny at all," said Jimmy. "They're made that way. But be careful,
Lucy Dunlee, or you'll drop that watch. I shouldn't have thought papa
would have let you bring it up here. Did you tell him where we were
going?"

"No, I never," replied Lucy with a sudden prick of conscience. "I didn't
know we'd go so far. 'Twas you that spoke and said we'd go higher up."

"Well, you'd better let me take it, Lucy. I'm older than you are, and
I've got a little pocket, too, just the right size to hold it."

Lucy hesitated, not wishing to part with the watch, and not at all sure
that it would be safer with Jimmy than with herself. He was not a famous
care-taker.

"I don't see why you want to get it away when papa lent it to me and
it's fastened on so tight. How do I know papa would be willing?"

As she spoke, however, Jimmy was fingering the little chain to see if
he could undo the clasp which held it to her dress.

"There, I don't believe you could have got it off, Lucy, you didn't know
how."

"Why, I never tried--papa fastened it on himself--oh, Jimmy-boy, you
will be so careful of it, now won't you?"

For the watch lay in his hand, and she did not know how to get it back
again. When he had set his heart on anything Lucy usually gave up.
Barbara looked on in disapproval as the big brother put the watch in his
pocket.

It had long been Jimmy's unspoken wish to have a watch of his very own
like Nate Pollard and various other boys. How rich and handsome the
short gold chain looked! What a bright spot it made as it dangled down
his new jacket. He gazed at it admiringly, while Bab and Lucy took
turns in looking through the spy-glass.

"The stage is coming," they cried. Then they all started and ran down
the mountain; but as the stage drove up to the hotel no colonel
alighted, or at least, no one who looked like a colonel. Jimmy was
playing with the short gold chain which made a bright spot on his
jacket. He meant to restore the watch to its owner at dinner-time; but
it was early, he was not going in yet. And there was Nate Pollard
throwing up his cap and looking