“How should I know? I’m not going to ask my father how much a thing costs when he gives me a present. Lot of money—ten or fifteen pounds, I daresay.”
“Yah! Silver watches don’t cost so much as that,” sneered Dicksee.
“Look here, Dicky,” cried Burr major, “you’re getting too cheeky. I shall have to take you down a peg or two.”
“Oh, never mind old Fatsides,” cried another boy. “Here, Burr, old chap, show us the works.”
“Oh, nonsense, boys! I’m going to put it away now,” said Burr major, opening and shutting the back, so as to make a loud snapping noise.
“I say, I should have a gold chain if I were you, Burr,” said another boy.
“No, I don’t think I shall,” said the big fellow nonchalantly; “not for school. Silver would be good enough when a fellow’s playing cricket or football.”
“Oh, I say, do show us the works!” said the boy who had spoken before.
“Oh, very well. What young noodles you are! Any one would think you had never seen a watch before. You see this is one of the best class of watches, and you open the glass by pressing your nail in there. That’s it, you see; and then you stick your nail on that little steel thing, and then it comes open—so. Here, keep back, some of you. Breathing on the works spoils a watch.”
“Oh, what a beauty!” rose in chorus, and I saw Mercer press forward with his eyes dilated, and an intense look of longing in his countenance, as he gazed at the bright yellow works, and the tiny wheel swinging to and fro upon its hair-spring.