"Permit me to explain. So long as it is let alone, it takes its own course. Time has no effect upon it."
"I have known such watches," I remarked.
"It goes, of course, at the usual rate. Only the time has to go with it. Hence, if I move the hands, I change
the time. To move them forwards, in advance of the true time, is impossible: but I can move them as
much as a month backwards---that is the limit. And then you have the events all over again----with any
alterations experience may suggest."
"What a blessing such a watch would be," I thought, "in real life! To be able to unsay some heedless
word----to undo some reckless deed! Might I see the thing done?"
"With pleasure!" said the good natured Professor. "When I move this hand back to here," pointing out the
place, "History goes back fifteen minutes!"
Trembling with excitement, I watched him push the hand round as he described.
"Hurted mine self welly much!"
Shrilly and suddenly the words rang in my ears, and, more startled than I cared to show, I turned to look
for the speaker.
Yes! There was Bruno, standing with the tears running down his cheeks, just as I had seen him a quarter
of an hour ago; and there was Sylvie with her arms round his neck!
I had not the heart to make the dear little fellow go through his troubles a second time, so hastily begged
the Professor to push the hands round into their former position. In a moment Sylvie and Bruno were
gone again, and I could just see them in the far distance, picking 'dindledums.'
"Wonderful, indeed!" I exclaimed.
"It has another property, yet more wonderful," said the Professor. "You see this little peg? That is called
the 'Reversal Peg.' If you push it in, the events of the next hour happen in the reverse order. Do not try it
now. I will lend you the Watch for a few days, and you can amuse yourself with experiments."
"Thank you very much!" I said as he gave me the Watch. "I'll take the greatest care of it----why, here are
the children again!"
"We could only but find six dindledums," said Bruno, putting them into my hands, "'cause Sylvie said it
were time to go back. And here's a big blackberry for ooself! We couldn't only find but two!"
"Thank you: it's very nice," I said. And I suppose you ate the other, Bruno?"
"No, I didn't," Bruno said, carelessly. "Aren't they pretty dindledums, Mister Sir?"
"Yes, very: but what makes you limp so, my child?"
"Mine foot's come hurted again!" Bruno mournfully replied. And he sat down on the ground, and began
nursing it.
The Professor held his head between his hands----an attitude that I knew indicated distraction of mind.
"Better rest a minute," he said. "It may be better then----or it may be worse. If only I had some of my
medicines here! I'm Court-Physician, you know," he added, aside to me.
"Shall I go and get you some blackberries, darling?" Sylvie whispered, with her arms round his neck; and
she kissed away a tear that was trickling down his cheek.