Free The Clockwork Twin by Walter R. Brooks Page A

hands with Uncle Ben.
    Most of the animals thought that Ronald had done so well that Bertram could be introduced to Adoniram the next morning, but Uncle Ben said no, he’d got to have more practice. And it was lucky he did. For the next night Ronald took Bertram out again. And they had an accident.
    It happened this way: Bertram had done a lot of stunts, and he was showing the animals how he was going to play ball with Adoniram. He was being a pitcher, and he was just showing them how he would deliver a fast one when his hand, which hadn’t been screwed on very tight, flew off and sailed up in a big curve and went Crash! through Mr. Bean’s bedroom window.
    All the animals ducked for cover. They were horrified to see Bertram still standing there in the moonlight. “Beat it!” they whispered. “Go in the barn.” But Bertram didn’t move.
    And then Mr. Bean’s head appeared at the window. On his head was his white nightcap with the red tassel, and his left eye was closed and his right eye was squinting down the barrel of his shotgun.
    â€œHalt! Who goes there!” he shouted.
    Now, Bertram hadn’t run away because when he wound up to pitch the imaginary ball his necktie had slid over the little window, and Ronald couldn’t see out. But he heard Mr. Bean’s voice, and he was so scared that he just opened the little door and jumped out and ran.
    Mr. Bean saw the rooster quite clearly in the moonlight. “Ha! Chicken-thieves, eh?” he shouted, and he aimed at Bertram’s legs and pulled the trigger. There was a loud bang and the rattle of shot, but of course they didn’t hurt Bertram any. “Well, I’ll be switched!” said Mr. Bean. “I know I hit him, but he never jumped. Well—” and he pumped another cartridge in and pulled the trigger.
    Bang! And this time one of the shot somehow hit the lever that made Bertram walk. He started off toward the gate, and he walked into the gate and knocked it flat and went on into the side of the cow-barn with a loud crash, and his head fell off. And at that Mr. Bean gave a loud yell and slammed down the window.
    For a minute there was a complete silence. Then from the shadow of the barn doorway where Uncle Ben was standing came a queer, rusty, creaking sound and Uncle Ben came out into the moonlit barnyard and danced around, waving his arms and stamping until he looked like a gnome out of some old fairy-tale book, and all the time that queer, wheezy, rusty sound came out of him. I think Freddy was the first who realized it was the sound of Uncle Ben laughing.
    Under the sound of the laughter Freddy could make out faint rustlings and scrapings, which was the sound of the other animals all sneaking off to bed. But he and Jinx stayed hidden in the little tool-shed where they had taken refuge, and pretty soon Uncle Ben calmed down and went up to the house. After a minute a light went on in the kitchen and for quite a while there was a rumble of voices, as Uncle Ben explained to Mr. Bean what had happened. Then Uncle Ben came out again, followed by Mr. Bean in his nightcap, long white nightshirt, and carpet slippers, carrying a lantern. The two men were both laughing now. They went down and picked up Bertram and stuck his head back on and carried him up into the loft. Then they went back into the house.
    â€œWell,” said Jinx, “I guess the party’s over. Gosh, Mr. Bean must have been scared when he saw the chicken-thief’s head fall off. Ho, hum. Good night, Freddy.”
    â€œGood night, Jinx.” And the two animals went off to bed.

VII
Adoniram’s Uncle Comes For Him
    Uncle Ben repaired Bertram the next morning, and at noon Ronald hopped into the control room and drove the clockwork boy up to the house to meet Adoniram. Bertram shook hands with the boy, and with Mr. and Mrs. Bean, and walked and ran and sat down and threw stones and showed some of the things he could do.
    â€œLand