The lad smiled.
"Then there was also in Pennsylvania a friend of Benjamin Franklin's, Edward Duffield, who made good clocks. Meantime in New Hampshire both Timothy Chandler of Concord and Luther Smith of Keene were successfully plying the clockmaking trade and creating beautiful old clocks. But it was Massachusetts that was Connecticut's strong second."
"And what was being done there?"
McPhearson put down his drill.
"Were I to begin that story," protested he, "I should have no lunch to-day and you would have none either. Maybe some other time—"
"To-morrow?" suggested Christopher, who had no intention of allowing this prince of story-tellers to escape.
"Why, yes—to-morrow—if you are still of the same mind, you shall hear the Massachusetts story."
CHAPTER XVI
WHAT MASSACHUSETTS CONTRIBUTED
Mr. McPhearson had no chance to forget his promise even had he been so minded, for promptly the next morning, almost before his tools were laid out on his bench, Christopher presented himself, announcing with a mischievous smile: