The Runaway Watch. 7

“Tt ’s not,’ was the indignant answer, ‘it’s
yours.”

“ Hush, hush,” said the case, ‘‘I will settle this
matter for you,” and as he naturally knew more
about the case than anyone could, they listened
respectfully.

“You don’t get on,” said he, “simply because
you are clogged with sand.”

“ He is right,” said the master, and we can do
no more till we go to the watchmaker’s.”

That night, when Lucy tried to wind her watch,
it would n’t wind. She listened, and there was no
friendly “ tick-tick ’’ to be heard. So the next day
she took it to the maker, who was very much sur-
prised when he examined the works.

“Well, well, little girl,” said he, “what have you
been doing to this watch ? It looks as if you had
rolled it in sand, thrown sand at it, and poured
sand into it.”

Lucy was very much ashamed, but as she really
had no idea how it came about, she could say
nothing.

y

“Tt must have happened yesterday,” said her