Page:Fairview Boys and their Rivals.djvu/44

40 his watch had spilled out of his pocket. It had landed on the stone. There it lay, its case open and bent, and its glass face smashed in.

"It's too bad, I declare!" spoke Frank. "Mr. Dolby, we're awfully sorry you broke your watch."

"I didn't break it," snarled the perverse old man. "You fellows smashed it—Bob Bouncer did. Think it smart, don't you?"

"No, I don't," answered Bob, "for I didn't mean to do it."

"Well, I'll make you smart for it, never fear."

"Maybe the watch isn't much hurt," said Sammy.

"Hurt? It's ruined!" cried old Dolby. "A valuable old timepiece, too. Why, I wouldn't lose that watch for one hundred dollars."

"See here, Mr. Dolby," spoke Frank, somewhat angry at the way the old man talked, "we'll get the watch fixed for you."

"Huh! you'll have to."

"My father has bought out the Jones jewelry store, and put my uncle in charge. I'll tell him about the watch, and if you'll give it to me he'll mend it for you."

"Give it to you and never see it again?" sneered the old man. "Not much."

"Then fetch it down to the store, and my uncle will fix it."

Silas Dolby did not say much after this. He took up the watch, shook his cane at the boys, and went away grumbling to himself.

"I hope that watch won't cost much," said Bob.

"Well, I've got a dollar towards fixing it," said Frank. "The money the chauffeur gave us, you know."

"We'll all pitch in and work out the rest of it," said