Then a genuine old man and feeble came and brought Hope his clock to mend.

Hope wound it up, and it went to perfection.

The old man had been a stout fellow when Hope was a boy, but now he was weak, especially in the upper story.

Hope saw at once that the young folk had sent him there for a joke, and he did not approve it.
"Gaffer," said he, "this will want repairing every eight days; but don't you come here any more; I'll call on you every week, and repair it for auld lang syne." Whilst he toddled away, and Hope retired behind his lathe to study his model in peace, Monckton raged at the sight of him and his popularity.
"Ay," said he, "you are a genius.

You can model a steam-engine or mend a doll, and you outwitted me, and gave me fourteen years.