You would have done better had you waited, Mr.Upham.It is what I always tell young men." Then John Upham turned with the last turn of the trodden worm.

"My wife and my children are my own!" he cried out, with a great roar.
"It's between me and my Maker, my having 'em, and I'll answer to no man for it!" With that he was gone, and the door shut hard after him.
Then Doctor Prescott, no whit disturbed, turned to Jerome and looked at him.

Jerome made his manners again.

"You are the Edwards boy, aren't you ?" said the doctor.
Jerome humbly acknowledged his identity.
"What do you want?
Has your mother sent you on an errand ?" "No, sir." "Well, what is it, then ?" "Please, sir, may I speak to you a minute ?" "Speak to me ?" "Yes, sir." Doctor Prescott wore a massive gold watch-chain festooned across his fine black satin vest.

He pulled out before the boy's wondering and perplexed eyes the great gold timepiece attached to it and looked at it.