“—which has the peculiar property that, instead of _its_ going with the _time_, the _time_ goes with _it_. I trust you understand me now?” “Hardly,” I said. “Permit me to explain. So long as it is let alone, it takes its own course. Time has _no_ effect upon it.” “I have known such watches,” I remarked. “It _goes_, of course, at the usual rate. Only the time has to go _with_ it. Hence, if I move the hands, I change the time. To move them _forwards_, in _advance_ of the true time, is impossible: but I can move them as much as a month _backwards_—that is the limit. And then you have the events all over again—with any alterations experience may suggest.” “_What_ a blessing such a watch would be,” I thought, “in real life! To be able to unsay some heedless word—to undo some reckless deed! Might I see the thing done?” “With pleasure!” said the good natured Professor. “When I move _this_ hand back to _here_,” pointing out the place, “History goes back fifteen minutes!” Trembling with excitement, I watched him push the hand round as he described. “Hurted mine self _welly_ much!” Shrilly and suddenly the words rang in my ears, and, more startled than I cared to show, I turned to look for the speaker. Yes! There was Bruno, standing with the tears running down his cheeks, just as I had seen him a quarter of an hour ago; and there was Sylvie with her arms round his neck! I had not the heart to make the dear little fellow go through his troubles a second time, so hastily begged the Professor to push the hands round into their former position. In a moment Sylvie and Bruno were gone again, and I could just see them in the far distance, picking ‘dindledums.’ “Wonderful, indeed!” I exclaimed. “It has another property, yet more wonderful,” said the Professor. “You see this little peg? That is called the ‘Reversal Peg.’ If you push it in, the events of the next hour happen in the reverse order. Do not try it now. I will lend you the Watch for a few days, and you can amuse yourself with experiments.” “Thank you very much!” I said as he gave me the Watch. “I’ll take the greatest care of it—why, here are the children again!” “We could only but find _six_ dindledums,” said Bruno, putting them into my hands, “’cause Sylvie said it were time to go back. And here’s a big blackberry for _ooself_! We couldn’t only find but _two_!” “Thank you: it’s _very_ nice,” I said. “And I suppose _you_ ate the other, Bruno?” “No, I didn’t,” Bruno said, carelessly. “_Aren’t_ they pretty dindledums, Mister Sir?” “Yes, very: but what makes you limp so, my child?” “Mine foot’s come _hurted_ again!” Bruno mournfully replied. And he sat down on the ground, and began nursing it. The Professor held his head between his hands—an attitude that I knew indicated distraction of mind. “Better rest a minute,” he said. “It may be better then—or it may be worse. If only I had some of my medicines here! I’m Court-Physician, you know,” he added, aside to me.