It would be furious and try to get free.

And in its struggles it would be certain to get free, but this it could only do by detaching itself from its key.
When once the key was out the dragon would be unable to wind itself up any more, and would be as good as dead.

Of course Sir Philip could cut off its head with the silver-hilted sword if Mr.Noah really wished it.
It was, as you see, an excellent plan, as far as it went.

Philip sat on the top of his tower quite free from anxiety, and ate a few hairy red gooseberries that happened to be loose in his pocket.

Within three minutes of his lighting his Roman candle a shower of golden rain went up in the south, some immense Catherine-wheels appeared in the east, and in the north a long line of rockets presented almost the appearance of an aurora borealis.