Read Online The Clockwork Twin by Walter R. Brooks - Free Book Online Page B

one warm May day when he and Georgie and Jock, the collie, were resting on the bank of the duck pond after a dip, “most animals have got along without carrying things around with them all their lives, and so they don’t really feel a need for pockets. If they’d been born with pockets, they’d use them.”
    â€œThe way I feel about it,” said Jock: “they’re kind of hot and uncomfortable to wear all the time. But I would like them on a long trip. Only most animals don’t take long trips.”
    â€œThere comes Adoniram,” said Georgie. He looked toward the barn, from which a figure came striding quickly toward them. Georgie’s tail began to vibrate, and Jock’s gave a couple of dignified thumps on the ground.
    â€œYou dogs are awfully lucky having tails that you can wag,” said Freddy. “It’s such an easy way of being polite. You don’t have to say: ‘How do you do? I’m glad to see you.’ You just let your tails do it for you with a couple of wags. You know, when I was little I spent hours trying to wag my tail. But I couldn’t move it. It never changes its expression at all, except to come uncurled a little when the weather’s damp. What good is a tail like that?”
    â€œIt’s ornamental,” said Georgie. “It adds something, Freddy, really. It sort of finishes you off, like a little flag.”
    â€œFinishes me off all right,” said Freddy. “It’s like the period at the end of a sentence—it shows where I come to an end.—Say, what’s the matter with Adoniram? Why does he walk so funny?”
    All three turned to look at the figure, now quite close to them. He was striding along with a queer, stiff gait, coming straight toward them, and making a funny clicking sound.
    â€œGosh!” said Freddy suddenly. “It isn’t Adoniram. It’s the clockwork boy. Uncle Ben’s finished him.—Hey, look out, you! You’ll go into the pond!”
    But the figure strode straight through them as they rolled aside to avoid being stepped on, and went over the bank and into the water with a splash. “Stop him! Stop him!” shouted a voice, and they saw Uncle Ben come stumping along toward them as fast as his short legs would carry him.
    Jock had jumped into the water, and Freddy and Georgie followed him. The clockwork boy was thrashing around in the pond, still making walking motions with his legs. He was dressed in a suit of Adoniram’s, and the animals finally caught hold of his coat-sleeves and dragged him in toward the bank.

    â€œLeave him there,” said Uncle Ben, who had come up by this time, “till he runs down.”
    â€œThat’s right,” said Jock. “He can’t drown, can he?” The collie climbed out, and the others followed him. They all looked at Uncle Ben.
    Uncle Ben was evidently struggling with a thought. He had both hands buried in his whiskers and was tugging them frantically as he stared down at the figure, which was lying on its side with a placid smile on its face, as if entirely unaware of the furious activity of its legs. “’Twon’t work,” said Uncle Ben at last.
    â€œI should say it worked almost too well,” said Freddy.
    Uncle Ben shook his head. “Start him,” he said, “can’t stop him. Hadn’t been for pond—been in Centerboro by now.”
    â€œThat’s right,” said Freddy. “You’ve got to be able to stop him doing things after you start him. I never thought of that.”
    â€œNo engineer,” said Uncle Ben.
    Most of Uncle Ben’s conversation was like that. He could put a whole sentence into two words. Some people found it difficult to understand what he was talking about, but Freddy had worked with him so long by now that he knew what the old man meant. “Of course,” he said; “he’s no more good this way than an automobile