"You see, I--I worked very hard to fix it so it would strike that way." "_Aunt Hannah!_" "Well, I did," retorted the lady, with unexpected spirit.

"I wanted to know what time it was in the night--I'm awake such a lot." "But I don't see." Billy's eyes were perplexed.

"Why must you make it tell fibs in order to--to find out the truth ?" she laughed.
Aunt Hannah elevated her chin a little.
"Because that clock was always striking one." "One!" "Yes--half-past, you know; and I never knew which half-past it was." "But it must strike half-past now, just the same!" "It does." There was the triumphant ring of the conqueror in Aunt Hannah's voice.

"But now it strikes half-past _on the hour_, and the clock in the hall tells me _then_ what time it is, so I don't care." For one more brief minute Billy stared, before a sudden light of understanding illumined her face.

Then her laugh rang out gleefully.
"Oh, Aunt Hannah, Aunt Hannah," she gurgled.