McPhearson brought from his bag a small copper oil can.
"Wants oilin', does she?" interpolated the butler, who had been standing anxiously near by.
"Next to nothing, Ebenezer. She just needed a little readjusting and tightening up."
"Praise de Lord! Then you're most through, sir."
"I'm clean afraid Mr. Hawley won't get back before you finish."
"Oh, I ain't in any hurry to shoo you out, Mr. McPhearson," declared the darky hurriedly. "No, indeed, sir. I could listen to you talk all day."
"Listening? 'Deed an' I was listenin'! My two ears was pricked up like a rabbit's."
"They's silver to clean; an' brasses to polish, an' I dunno what--" continued the butler, "but I'm lettin' 'em all lie 'til by an' by--I's improvin' my mind--I is!"
"So am I," rejoined Christopher, laughing.
"I seem to be furnishing a lecture free of charge to a very select audience," the Scotchman returned drily; "and having once started, I suppose I may as well finish it. You can testify that at least I have not been idle while talking.
"Nor was the era, of which I have been speaking, an idle one. Like Rip Van Winkle, it began slowly to awaken from its long sleep and become alert. Printing was invented and the Bible, along with other books, gradually reached the hands of the common people. In the meantime, Columbus had made his voyage to America and returned with tales of new lands, stimulating in others a spirit of adventure. The recently evolved compass, as well as the fact that larger and more staunch ships were now to be had, lured persons previously shy of the sea to voyages of discovery. On every hand new ideas were coming to light. In the clock world somebody began making screws to replace the primitive little pins and rivets hitherto employed to fasten wheels and dials in place; glass came into more general use, and by 1600 crystals began to be quite generally in evidence; and the appearance of the minute hand gave evidence that the universe was a busier place and short intervals of time becoming of greater worth. But although the sale of clocks increased, watches were not yet in general use. They were too much of a luxury. People therefore consulted their clocks (if they were lucky enough to have them); hied them to the village square if not; or depended upon their sundials of which there were still many in use. Watchmen also went about the streets crying the hours.