The Quaker took from a drawer a couple of watches, and held them up before his silent and interested audience. He observed, “I have now a very pleasant duty to perform. It is to bestow a gold watch upon our friend from Gay Head, who sighted the largest bowhead captured, and another upon this young man, who was the first to announce the largest sperm whale taken.” The Gay Header showed a row of beautiful teeth as he took the watch; and he caused much laughter when he put it up to his ear, evidently to find out whether it was going. As I stepped forward, I did not extend my hand, but said, “I don’t know as I ought to take the watch, sir. My discovery of the whale wasn’t due to sharp eyes, but to luck. The big fellow had sounded at a place far off from us and happened to come up pretty near the ship. I happened to be the first one to see him.” “Nevertheless, the watch belongs to thee.” Then addressing the crew, he inquired, “Isn’t that so, my friends?” There was a loud “Yes.” My gratitude was twofold—to the Quaker merchant for his generosity, and to my companions, most of whom I was never to see again, for their kind approval. My money was later disposed of to the entire satisfaction of my parents, and now for the closing incident—the watch. My father went to his work, and I went home. The watch came out of my pocket every time I passed any one, and, as I passed a good many people, it came out a good many times. When I reached home, my mother handled it as tenderly as if it had been a baby, and loudly praised my Quaker benefactor. When evening came the visitors exceeded those of the night before. Every one wanted to handle the watch, and I was afraid that they might wear it out before they got through with it. Again I was asked all kinds of questions about the voyage, and particularly about the whale which brought me such good fortune. This was rather a delicate subject. But I was fair enough to say that the case was not a very meritorious one. That night I slept with the watch under my pillow. The next morning I walked up Union Street just as the merchants and other business men were going to their offices and places of business. In a jeweler’s window was a standard clock, and I noticed more than one passer-by stop and take out his watch and compare the time. This gave me an opportunity to display my timepiece. So I took it out with a great deal of pride, and to my surprise and grief it was fifteen minutes slower than the clock. My head was hot, my eyes were misty and my heart beat violently. I put the watch to my ear, and lo! it had stopped. I walked up the street in a dazed condition, turned into a side street and sat down on a doorstep. I was at a loss what to do, but at last, having pulled myself together, I returned to the jeweler’s and, entering, handed him the watch and asked what the matter with it was. He opened it with an important air and examined it carefully and oh! so slowly.