“And be very careful to wind it up regularly every night.”
He looked at me with his face all wrinkled up.
“Would you, sir—would you wind it up?”
“Why, of course; what’s a watch for?”
“Well, that depends, sir. It’s all right for a gentleman, but don’t seem no good to me. We allus knows how many bells it is, and the sergeants takes good care that we’re in time for everything. It’s rather in my way, too. Look here, sir; s’pose you took care of it for me to the end of the voyage?”
“Oh no, Morris. You’ll soon get used to having a watch,” I said. “Take care of it yourself.”
He shook his head.
“I don’t know as I can, sir,” he said. “If it had been a silliver one, I shouldn’t so much have minded. I was thinking of sewing it up in the padding of my jacket.”
“No, no; keep it in your pocket and never part with it,” I said. “It’s a watch to be proud of, for it was earned in a noble way.”
“Thankye, sir,” he cried, as I stood wondering at my own words; “that’s done me good;” and he buttoned his jacket up with an intense look of satisfaction.