4 MEMOIR OF ALFRED SMEE. [CHAI-. 1. 



was fast, consequently the boys got into trouble for coming late. 

 The clockniaker was made aware of the fact, but several mornings 

 passed, and the clock was not set right. In my father's class the 

 master was very strict, and, quite ignoring that the fault lay in 

 the clock, caned the unfortunate boys for being late. This was 

 more than young Smee could submit to it was an injustice ; he 

 accordingly hit upon the following expedient to set right such 

 a dismal order of affairs. He persuaded the classes under his 

 master to march up Cheapside in single file to the clockmaker's at 

 the Koyal Exchange. Then every boy in turn, according to his 

 age, was to enter the shop, and taking off his cap, say, " Please, sir, 

 master's compliments, and will you put the schoolroom clock 

 right ?" At first the man was very civil, but as naturally may 

 be supposed, after about the tenth boy had appeared with the 

 same message, he became excessively irate. Young Smee entered 

 the shop, saw the fury the man was in, made a wry face at him, 

 did not wait to say anything, but rushed out of the shop. " What 

 did he say ?" was the eager inquiry. " Oh, nothing," replied young 

 Smee. In went the next boy (a very stupid boy I have heard, who 

 turned out badly in life), but it was too late : the man, exasperated 

 beyond all endurance, caught him and thrashed him. Off went 

 then the boys round the Exchange, running in and out of the legs 

 of the sober merchants, and finished their amusement, much to 

 the discomfiture of that respectable body of citizens. It is 

 almost needless to add that the schoolroom clock was speedily set 

 right, and though the clockmaker made a complaint to the master, 

 yet the latter was too much amused with the story to chastise 

 the boys for their audacious expedient. After this adventure it 

 was a long time before St. Paul's schoolroom clock went again 

 in advance of Greenwich time. 



About the same time a very favourite amusement of Alfred 

 Smee's was to climb trees. In this accomplishment he excelled. 

 He would climb the highest trees where no other boy would 

 venture, and, to use his own expression, weave in and out the 

 branches, swaying the while like a bird, and ascending, and 

 ascending, until he reached the topmost branch ; when, waving his 

 cap to his schoolfellows below, it was duly acknowledged by that 

 august assembly that he had done "their dads." One poor 

 boy, however, tried to emulate him, but not being so skilful, 

 fell into a pond of water beneath, from the effects of which 

 he died; and so young Smee remained undisputed master of 

 the trees. 



