My master and I had nearly an hour to wait on the platform at Gunborough
before the Randlebury train came up. Part of this interval Charlie, for
fear he might forget to do it at night, devoted to winding me up; an
experiment which nearly closed my career for ever, for he first began to
turn the key the wrong way; then, when he had discovered his mistake, he
started in the other direction with a sudden dash, and finally overwound
me to such an extent that I expected every second to hear my heart break
with the strain.
Then he sat on his boxes, whistling to himself and drumming his heels on
the platform. The train came up at last, and in he jumped, finding
himself and a grave elderly gentleman in joint possession of the
carriage.
Charlie was too busy staring out of the window, whistling, and brushing
the dust off his new hat, to take much notice of his companion until the
train was fairly started; then, observing the gentleman look at his
watch, the boy at once recognised a bond of sympathy and pulled out me.
"I wonder if I'm the same as you?" he said eagerly.
"I hope you are not," said the gentleman, "for I'm a quarter of an hour
fast."
"Are you though?" said the boy, in astonishment.
"Why don't you put it right? I would."
"It's a bad thing to put a watch back, my boy; besides, I rather like
keeping mine a little fast."
"Do you? I say, do you think my watch is a good one?" said Charlie,
thrusting me into the hands of his astonished travelling companion.
"I can't say, my boy. I know nothing about watches. It looks a nice
one."
"Yes, father gave it me. I say, are you going to Randlebury?"
"Yes."
"Do you know the school? I'm going there."
"Oh, yes; I know the school. And you are going there, are you?"
inquired the gentleman, with interest.
"Yes, I'm a new boy, you know."
"And how do you like going to school?"
"Oh, all right; only I don't know what it'll be like. Eat I say, I
don't suppose there's many of the boys my age have got watches, do you?"
The gentleman laughed. "I dare say not," he said. Charlie was silent
for a time, and then asked,--
"I say, what sort of fellow's the head master; do you know?"
"I've seen him now and then," said the gentleman.
"Is he awfully stuck-up and strict?" asked the boy anxiously.
"I really don't know," said the gentleman, biting his lips; "I hope
not."
"So do I. I wish my father was the head master," said Charlie, the
tears for a moment starting to his eyes at the bare thought of such
happiness.