When my children were growing up, they loved to listen to stories. And some of their favourite stories were the ones I made up, featuring them as the heroes in magical tales based on their holidays with grandparents in Cleethorpes and Mablethorpe and with us in the Lake District.

I keep getting pestered to write them down. It is thirty years or more since these I first told these tales. So, with a failing memory and fresh imaginings here goes. This is The Clock and the Walking Stick and the Great, Great, Very Great Adventure in Time. All it needs now is an illustrator and a publisher.

Chapter One

Tom and Louise felt very grown up as they walked down the Avenue. Grandma had trusted them to go out on their own to the High Street to spend their pocket money. She was too busy making an apple pie to come with them.

“You can go by yourselves. But remember to use the zebra crossing and be back by twelve o’clock for lunch,” she said sternly. And then, with a smile in her voice, “Or else I will have to eat the apple pie without you!”

The children promised. They would not be late. They were wearing the watches that Granddad had bought them on the market when he had taken them into town the week before. Into town. It sounded very grand. But really it was just down the Avenue and round the corner to the High Street and across the road to get to the Market Square.

Before they left they went to check their watches with the clock over the fireplace.

“Don’t bother with that!” said Granddad, who was sat in his chair reading the paper. “It’s never been right since I bought it.” He reached into his cardigan for his pocket watch, and he was very pleased that the children’s watches kept the same time.

Because he was the eldest, Tom thought he ought to hold Louise’s hand to keep her safe when they crossed the road. But Louise was having none of it. “I’m not a baby,” she said as she wriggled free. “And Grandma said she trusted both of us. You are not the boss of me!”

Then a woman came up behind them and said, “This is a busy road. I better get you children safely across.” And she took them both by the hand and marched them over the zebra crossing! On the other side Tom remembered his manners and said thank you to the woman. Then Louise grabbed his hand and led Tom into the sweet shop.

They looked round but the woman had gone. “Interfering old busybody!” said Louise in the voice that Granddad sometimes used when someone annoyed him. Tom laughed and the children were friends once more.

“Excuse me if I’m an interfering old busybody, but are you two going to buy anything today?” It was Mr Matthews, the shopkeeper. He knew the children well because they came in his shop every Saturday. “Out on your own today? Very grown up. What would sir and madam like today if you don’t mind my asking?”

Tom and Louise bought their sweets and left the shop. It was market day, so they went to the Square. There were no cars or busy roads here. They strolled from stall to stall looking for something to buy with their change from the sweet shop.

Tom wanted to find the stall where Granddad had bought their watches. Perhaps it had a clock for sale to replace the wonky one on the living room wall. Louise told him he was being silly. They didn’t have enough money to buy a clock. Honestly! He might be the eldest, but Louise often thought she was more grown up than Tom. And Tom sometimes thought so too.

Then they saw a shop in a corner of the Square that had not been there last week. But it looked like it had been there forever. It had old-fashioned windows and an old-fashioned door and, when they looked in the window, very old-fashioned prices written on little cards: things like fourpence three farthings, twopence halfpenny or one shilling and sixpence.

This was like a shop from the olden days when Grandma was a little girl. They had to turn the handle to open the door. And when it opened a little bell tinkled. Inside it seemed very dark. There was so much stuff piled up that it blocked out most of the sunlight and there was only a single lamp shining in a corner.

This time it was Tom who took Louise’s hand and squeezed. She was glad. It felt like they had walked into a story, and they did not know if there was going to be a happy ending. 

Chapter Two

Then a voice spoke from the darkness. It was kind and gentle, but it still made them jump. “Welcome. You are the first to find my little shop today. I do hope you can find what you are looking for.”

Louise replied, “We are not looking for anything really. We just came in to look around if that’s alright.”

“That is quite alright.” The voice had moved into the light, and they could see a very old man, older than Granddad, and even more old-fashioned than the shop. He was dressed in a red frock coat and breeches. He was completely bald and had an enormous beard and whiskers.

“And you, young sir, are you just looking around? Or are you looking for something?”

Tom took a moment to realise the man was talking to him. Then he blurted out, “I am looking for something. I want a clock for my grandfather. One that keeps time.”

“Not a grandfather clock, then?” The old man chuckled. But it wasn’t a teasing laugh. He turned and disappeared back into the gloom.

Louise was about to start on Tom again for thinking he could afford a clock when the man returned with a bundle in his arms. He went over to an old table, covered in dust, and wiped it clean with his sleeve. He laid the bundle down and invited Tom to come closer.

Tom stepped forward, pulling Louise along. They were still holding hands and neither wanted to let go. The shopkeeper carefully unwrapped the bundle to reveal a clock. It looked like an antique, with Roman numerals painted in black and gold coloured hands. It was all enclosed in a dark round wooden case with strange carvings around the edge.

“Well, what do you think?”

Tom thought it was wonderful. But Louise spoke first. “It’s not working.”

“It just needs winding. Now where did I put the key?” The old man reached into all his pockets until he found a big brass key, turned the clock over, fitted the key into the back and wound it up.

When he turned it over again the children looked at the clock, then at their watches. It was showing exactly the right time. And now it was working the clock looked even more wonderful. The face was like glass, and you could see all the machinery inside working like, well, clockwork. The hands on the clock did not just move. They twisted and turned and wriggled about. But they always pointed at the right time. The carvings in the wooden surround also looked alive. They wound and unwound themselves in patterns that danced in front of your eyes.

“How much?” Tom’s voice sounded very tiny.

 When the shopkeeper replied, his voice sounded very loud. “How much? How much does it cost? That’s an interesting question,” he boomed. “How much is it worth? That is an altogether different question.”

The children were confused. “We just want to know the price,” said Louise.

“It is half a crown.”

This puzzled the children even more. They had no idea what a crown was, never mind half a crown. Then Tom had an idea. He remembered that Grandma had a bag of old coins she let them play with; threepenny bits, old pennies and half-pennies, shillings and sixpences.

“Of course,” he said, “This is an old-fashioned shop, so you use old-fashioned money.”

Louise thought he was being a bit rude, but the shopkeeper did not mind. “You are right. I still use old money. I don’t suppose you’ve got half a crown have you? Never mind. Half a crown is twelve and a half pence in new money. Have you got that?

“They got rid of half pence a long time ago,” said Louise. “Is thirteen pence OK?”

“Thirteen is my lucky number,” said the shopkeeper. “It’s a deal!”

The children counted out the pennies and the old man was delighted with his new coins. He wrapped up the clock and handed it to Tom.

“Goodbye! I will see you soon.” He opened the door and saw them out.

Chapter Three

After the quiet gloom of the shop the Square was very loud and bright. Busy people rushed past. Tom and Louise got out of their way. They went back to the High Street, crossed the road all by themselves and were just turning the corner into the Avenue when the clock in the church tower began to chime. Boing! Boing! Boing! They were going to be late!

The Avenue was very short. But halfway along was a narrow turning, Bowling Green Lane, that went down past the bowling club. Tom was running so fast he tripped over the kerb and dropped the clock. It rolled down the lane and the children ran after it.

At the bottom of the lane the clock rolled over and lay on its back. Its hands had stopped moving and the patterns did not weave. Was it broken?

The children looked back up the hill. They had run a very long way and would never get back in time for apple pie now. Then they saw the alleyway. It was dark and narrow and twisty, and the children decided to see where it went.

When they came to the final bend they found themselves back in the Market Square. But it looked so different. All the stalls had gone. The tarmac had changed to cobblestones. Instead of cars and vans there were horse drawn carriages and carts. And all the people were dressed differently. They looked a bit like the old shopkeeper. Everything was old-fashioned!

“What have we here? A right pair of street urchins. And what’s that you are holding? That’s a very fine clock you have there. Too fine for the likes of you!”

A big man was standing over them. He was dressed like the old shopkeeper, but his coat was shabby, his stockings were torn and the buckle from one of his shoes was missing. His hair was long and tied in a ponytail and he held a big knobbly stick in one hand. With the other hand he reached down to take the clock.

“Children, there you are, and you have remembered my clock!”

Tom and Louise saw the old shopkeeper striding towards them like a much younger man. He was a much younger man! No longer bald, he had a ponytail and a walking stick, long and straight with a silver handle.

“Come with me. Let’s go back to my shop.”

The other man had disappeared into the crowd and Tom and Louise were glad to go with the old, or was it the young shopkeeper? They crossed the square to his shop and went inside. It was just as they remembered it, dark and dusty and piled high with stuff.

The shopkeeper led them into the back, to a much brighter and cleaner kitchen. He sat them down with a glass of milk and a slice of apple pie.

“I told you I’d see you again. Though I did not expect to see you here.”

Tom and Louise did not say a word. They were totally confused and had so many questions they did not know where to start. And they were too busy tucking into a delicious apple pie.

“Let me explain. My name is Henry Matthews, and you are called Tom and you are Louise. I know you because my great, great, very great grandson, Bob Matthews owns the sweetshop on the High Street, and I visit him sometimes. I am a time traveller you know, and now you are as well. “So how did you find your way back to my time? Is there some magic in that old clock I sold you?

After Tom and Louise had told him their story Henry said nothing but ‘um’ and ‘ah’ as he stroked his beard and scratched his head. Then he jumped up.

“Of course! Why didn’t I think of that before. It’s the key!”

Henry reached into his pocket and pulled out the old brass key that he had used to wind up the clock.

“I forgot to give you the key. So the clock brought you back here to find it. And the only way to do that was to unwind itself all the way down Bowling Green Lane. If I give you the key you can go back to the bottom of Bowling Green Lane, wind up the clock and it will take you up the hill and home to Grandma. And if I make a tiny adjustment,” he took out a long, narrow screwdriver, “it might just get you home in time for Grandma’s apple pie, which is so much better than mine.”

Louise carried the clock and Tom took the key. Henry went with them to the bottom of Bowling Green Lane. As Tom turned the key the clock came back to life and took them up the hill. And it did get them there in time for Grandma’s apple pie. Though she was a bit surprised when they said they were full up after only one helping. That had never happened before.

And the clock? Louise and Tom had a good chat and decided to keep the clock and see if it had any more adventures for them before they gave it to Granddad. Perhaps they would visit Henry again and see if he had another clock to sell them.

Chapter Four

Henry Matthews had a lot to think about as he walked back to his shop. He hoped the children would keep the clock safe. He hoped the children would be safe. A time travelling clock was a tempting prize for all sorts of thieves and villains. Why, that ruffian in the Market Square had been this close to taking it.

Then he saw him, the man who had tried to take the clock off Tom and Louise. He was talking to another man, tall and smartly dressed, with a shiny top hat. Henry knew him, William Battersby, who owned the bank on the High Street. He was the richest and the meanest man in town. The two men stepped into a tavern and Henry followed them in.

The innkeeper was surprised to see Battersby in his tavern. He went straight over, leaving all his other customers waiting. He bowed and went on about what a pleasure it was until Battersby silenced him and said that he had some private business to discuss and did not want to be disturbed. The innkeeper led him through the bar and into the parlour. He called to his daughter for a jug of his finest ale and three glasses.

“My business is with this man, not with you,” Battersby said, “And you can keep your ale. Here is a shilling for your trouble.” Then he shut the door on the innkeeper, who went back to serve his customers and complain about Battersby.

“Who does he think he is, shutting the door on me in my own house. I’ve a good mind to …”

Henry stopped him. “To what? To remind him about the money you owe him? You don’t want him for an enemy. But you could use me for a friend. Do you have a room next door to your parlour? I am interested to hear what those two are talking about. And here is a shilling for your trouble.” He winked. “Oh, and a jug of your finest ale.”

The innkeeper smiled. He nodded to his daughter who showed Henry to a tiny room, no bigger than a cupboard, between the bar and the parlour. The wall was thin plaster and Henry pressed his ear against it to listen. The ruffian who had tried to steal the clock was complaining. Battersby was having none of it.

“Shut up, Jencks! I’ll give you money for ale when we’ve finished. This is a serious business. You say you saw the clock. Can you describe it?”

“These kids had it. They were dressed all funny. Looked foreign to me. It was just an old clock in a round wooden case. Nothing special. If it’s a clock you’re after, I know where I can get you a much better one.”

“That clock is special to me. It is a family heirloom and I have been seeking it for years. Where is it now?”

“A man came up and said it was his clock. The children went off with him. I didn’t want no trouble, so I made myself scarce.”

 Battersby tried to sound friendly and asked Jencks to describe the man and the children. But he was no help at all. Battersby gave him a few copper coins for his ale. “If you can find this man for me it will be silver next time. And if you can find the clock for me it will be gold, I promise.”

When Jencks came out of the parlour Henry turned his face to the wall. He did not want to be recognised. But Jencks went straight past him to the bar to buy some beer. Henry took his chance to slip out, into the street and go home.

Henry was a hunted man, and he knew it. Battersby would never give up. But it did not matter. Just so long as Tom and Louise stayed in the future they and the clock would be safe. He took his walking stick and twisted the dial in its silver handle and tapped it on the ground. It was time to visit his great, great, very great grandson. He opened the door and a very old man in old-fashioned clothes with a bald head and a long beard stepped into the future.

When Bob had first met Henry he thought that Henry was just an eccentric old man. Bob even thought he might have gone missing from an old folks home. They had met in the tavern in the Square. The parlour was now the lounge bar and the cubby hole where Henry had listened was long gone. But the public bar had not changed much in 200 years. Henry seemed to know all about its history and when he told Bob he was a time traveller Bob spilled his beer and burst out laughing. But Henry stood up, twisted the dial on his walking stick and went outside. Bob followed him and stepped into the past!

“Now do you believe me?” Henry asked. Back in his own time he was young again. He took Bob home to his shop and explained that he was Bob’s great, great, very great Grandfather. “Most people look into their family tree to trace their ancestors. I wanted to trace my descendants and was so pleased to find a capital fellow like yourself. Now I better take you back to the future so you can buy me another glass of fine ale before the tavern closes!”

Chapter Five

This time Henry did not go to the tavern. He went straight to the sweet shop. Bob lived in the flat over his shop. He was always pleased to see Henry again, but he was also worried. Whenever Henry arrived he seemed much older. It was like time was catching up with him.

“These journeys are not good for you, Henry. You are always welcome but all this messing with time is going to kill you if you are not careful.”

“I know, Bob. You probably won’t see me again. But I had to make this last visit.”

And he told Bob how he had come to the future to hide the clock, and Tom and Louise had found his shop and bought the clock. Now they and the clock were safe in the future and his enemies were hunting for the clock in the past, Henry wanted Bob to keep an eye on the children.

“And I need you to have this.” He handed his silver handled walking stick to Bob.

“Does that mean you are staying here, in our time?”

“Oh no! that would never do! For a start I haven’t married your great, great, very great grandmother yet. In my time I am still a young man with my whole life in front of me. If I don’t go back and start a family, you might never be born.”

Bob could see the sense in that. And then he realised it meant him becoming a time traveller too. He would have to take Henry back and then return with the walking stick. Henry showed him how it worked and promised him that he would not suddenly turn old if he used it.

“I have travelled far and wide. Too far. Time travel is against nature and nature will have its revenge. I found this walking stick in the hands of an old man. He made one trip too many and it killed him. I need to stop before it’s too late. Use it when you have to but do not waste its power and you should be alright.”

So Bob took Henry back in time to his shop in the Square. They went inside and talked and drank fine ale. Henry showed Bob his treasures and let him choose his going away present. There were relics from the past and wonders from the future, all acquired on Henry’s journeys through time. Bob wanted none of them. He wanted a souvenir of his great, great, very great grandfather.

So Bob put on Henry’s red frock coat, the one that he always wore. He took the walking stick and stepped outside. After looking around he twisted the dial, tapped the stick hard upon the ground and stepped into the present. But neither Bob nor Henry had seen the spy hiding in the alleyway.

Jencks had decided to keep watch on the Square in case the children or the young gentleman returned. He wanted to earn some of Battersby’s silver and gold. Jencks thought the best place to keep watch was from a window seat in the tavern. He drank a few jugs of ale and had almost forgotten about keeping watch when two men appeared out of nowhere in the middle of the square.

He rubbed his eyes and blinked. But they were still there. One of the men was oddly dressed like those two children – another foreigner! The other was wearing a red frock coat and carried a walking stick with a silver top. He recognised the young gentleman and watched them go into Henry’s shop and close the door.

Jencks finished his ale and went outside to clear his head. He hid in the alleyway to keep watch on the shop. He was there a long time. It was cold and dark, and he wished he was back in the warmth of the tavern bar. Then he saw what he thought was the young gentleman come out of the shop. He was wearing his frock coat and carrying his silver handled walking stick. He stopped and looked straight towards Jencks but did not see him in the shadows. Then he tapped the walking stick upon the ground and vanished.

Jencks went back into the tavern. ‘More ale?” the innkeeper asked. ‘No. I think I’ve earned myself a tot of rum.” Jencks was already spending the silver that Battersby had promised him.

Bob was pleased to find himself back in his own time and went straight home to his flat over the sweet shop. He looked in the mirror to check that he had not turned old and grey and put the coat and the walking stick at the back of the wardrobe. He would miss the old man, but he had no plan to use them again.

Tom and Louise came to stay with Grandma and Granddad at the weekend, as usual. They did have a plan. On Friday evening they were playing with the old coins at the kitchen table. They asked Grandma if the coins were valuable, like antiques.

“I don’t know,” she said, “Better ask Grandad.”

He didn’t know either. So the children suggested that on Saturday morning they could take the coins into town and show them to the man in the antique shop in the Square.

“I didn’t know there was an antique shop in the Square,” said Granddad. You’d be better off taking them to the coin shop at the top of the hill.”

The next morning the children went to Bob’s sweetshop as usual. Then they headed into the Square with the bag of old money. The plan was to find Henry’s shop and use some of the old money to buy another old clock for Granddad. But they could not find it.

“Perhaps it’s a time machine, like the clock. It’s gone back in time, and we’ll never see Henry again.” Tom was heartbroken.

But Louise was thinking. ‘Why don’t we take the clock and go back in time down Bowling Green Lane to see if the shop is there?”

The children went back to Grandma’s and got the clock from under Tom’s bed. They wound it up and the clock came to life. So they put it in Louise’s backpack and were heading out the door when Bob arrived at the gate.

“Hello again,” said Bob, “Is your granddad in?” He stared at Louise’s backpack. “Are you going on an adventure?”

“We are going up the hill to the coin shop,” said Tom and showed Bob the bag of old coins. “Bye, Bye.” The children set off before Bob could ask them any more questions. Bob stood by the gate and watched the children head off down the Avenue. When he saw them take out the clock and duck down Bowling Green Lane, Bob ran after them. But he was too late. They had disappeared, lost in time.

Bob went back to his shop and upstairs to his flat. He slipped into the old red coat and, taking the walking stick, went back to Bowling Green Lane. He twisted the handle as Henry had showed him, tapped it hard upon the ground and stepped into the lane. He could not see the children, so he hurried to the bottom and turned into Twisty Alley.

Chapter Six

When Tom and Louise reached the end of the lane they put the clock in the backpack and looked for a hiding place. They did not want to risk losing it if they bumped into Jencks again. There was a bush with lots of thistles and nettles growing around it. They tried hard not to get prickled or stung when they hid the clock behind the bush. Then they headed down Twisty alley into the Square.

Before they stepped out they had a good look round. No sign of Jencks. That was good. Actually, Jencks wasn’t that far away. After he had told Battersby about seeing Henry and a foreigner appear like magic in the Square and showed him Henry’s shop, Battersby had rewarded him with silver, and he had spent most of it in the tavern. And that’s where he was now. But he didn’t see the children. He had drunk a bit too much rum and was asleep in a corner of the bar.

Battersby had other spies and two of them were in the Square, watching Henry’s shop. When they saw Tom and Louise in their ‘foreign’ clothes one of them went to tell Battersby while the other kept watch.

Henry was not pleased when he saw the children. “What are you doing here?” he snapped, “And where’s the clock?” He calmed down a bit when they told him it was hidden in a safe place, but he still looked worried. “There are some very bad men after that clock. I know I should have said something, but I did not want to scare you. We better get you back to the future where it’s safe.”

Just then the bell tinkled, and three men walked into the shop. The two spies grabbed the children. Battersby locked the door and turned to Henry. “I believe you have a clock that belongs to my family. It is nothing special, but it does have sentimental value. So I am ready to pay you a decent price for it.”

Henry stood up to face Battersby. “Sir, you have an odd way of doing business! Release my godchildren and unbolt that door so they can go home to their parents. Then we can discuss this clock of yours like gentlemen.”

Battersby smiled but his eyes looked cold. “My men here will look after the children while we talk. You should take better care of your godchildren. I have reason to believe they stole the clock and brought it to you. But we can settle this like gentlemen if you bring me the clock and agree to my price.”

“And what if I refuse?”

“That would be very unfortunate for you . . . and for the children!”

Chapter Seven

When Bob reached the Square Tom and Louise were already in Henry’s shop. He was about to go over when he saw three men. One was smartly dressed and wore a top hat. The other two looked dangerous to Bob. He thought he saw daggers in their belts. When the three men went into Henry’s shop Bob went round the back. The kitchen door was unlocked so he crept inside.

Bob could not hear everything that was being said. But he knew that Henry, Tom and Louise were in trouble. So he stepped into the shop and in his loudest voice said, “If it’s the clock you’re after I’m your man!

It was a bold move. Bob looked a lot like his great, great, very great grandfather. And in the dimly lit shop, wearing Henry’s red coat and carrying Henry’s silver topped walking stick, it was hard to tell them apart. He walked towards Battersby, twisting the dial on his walking stick as he went. Battersby tried to grab him and at that moment Bob tapped the walking stick on floor. Woosh! They both disappeared into the future.

The two spies were not expecting that! They knew nothing of time travel. Battersby had kept that information to himself when he hired them. Was it witchcraft? They did not wait to find out but let go of Tom and Louise and ran for the door. In their panic they forgot it was locked, and when they turned to face Henry and the children they were gone as well!

Then Bob reappeared. The spies pulled out their daggers and rushed towards him. At that moment he used the walking stick to take them into the future where he had left Battersby. A short while later he returned and knocked on the kitchen door. “It’s alright Henry. Let me in.”

Henry and the children had moved quickly when the spies tried to escape. They ran into the kitchen and Henry bolted the door. Henry hugged the children, who had started to cry. Then Henry opened the door and now it was Bob’s turn for a hug. It had all happened so fast. A few minutes ago they had all been in danger. Then Bob had appeared – and disappeared – and rescued them from Battersby and his spies.

“I do hope you have not left them roaming free in the future,” said Henry when everyone had finished crying and laughing and hugging.

“Oh no,” Bob explained. “You told me that you had to be really close to someone when you used the walking stick if you wanted to take them with you. And that’s what I did with Battersby. When we arrived in the future he was so surprised I was able to step away and come back for the other two. Same thing happened and here I am.”

“Yes,” said Tom, “But where are they?” He was worried about these bad people on the loose in the same time zone as Grandma and Granddad.

“Yes. Where are they?” said Henry and Louise together.

Bob laughed and said sorry for being so slow. But all that whizzing forwards and backwards in time had muddled his brains a little.

“Remember that big lock-up in the corner of the Square where the market traders pack their stalls away? Well, that was built on this very spot when they knocked the old shop down. It is locked up now and they are all locked up inside!”

“But for how long?” asked Henry. “When the market closes today, and the traders unlock it to put their stalls away, what happens then?”

Everyone sat still and had a quiet think about that one. Then Louise spoke.

“We cannot let them stay in our time. That would be dangerous for us. And we cannot bring them back to this time. That would be dangerous for Henry.”

“So,” said Tom, “that means we have to put them in a different time. How do we do that?”

Chapter Eight

Tom wanted to take Battersby and his gang way back into the past, but Henry said no. Battersby was a clever man as well as a bad man. He might use his knowledge from the future to make himself powerful and more people would suffer. He might even change history. No, that would never do. And if they sent him into the future, who knows? He could steal a time machine and come back for revenge.

“There’s only one thing to do,” said Louise. “We have to take away his power so he cannot hurt anybody ever again.”

“And how do we do that?” asked Tom.

Then Bob spoke. “It seems to me that this Battersby is rich and powerful and has made a lot of enemies. But they are all afraid of him. What if he were poor and couldn’t pay his spies and gangsters to do his dirty work for him? People would make his life miserable, and he would soon clear off and leave us alone.”

Henry thought this was an excellent idea and they soon worked out a cunning plan. The first thing was to keep the children safe. Tom and Louise complained but the grown ups would not give in. The children’s job was to take the clock back to their own time and stay there.

Then Henry would visit Battersby’s bank and ask to draw out all his money. Time travel had made him a wealthy man. He knew that the bank manager would not dare to lose such an important customer without consulting his boss. But Battersby was stuck in the future.

So when he went to the bank and when the manager refused to give him his money, Henry went out into the street and shouted at the top of his voice, “I want my money! The bank won’t let me have it and Battersby is not here. He has run off with my money!”

News spread fast and other customers soon crowded into the bank demanding their money. Then the people who owed money joined in. If Battersby had gone they wouldn’t have to pay him back. It soon turned into a riot. The bank manager opened the safe, took out his wages and left. He was in such a hurry he forgot to lock up. The innkeeper took charge. As well as sharing out the money to all the customers he found the mortgage papers for his pub and burnt them. His debt went up in smoke. All the other debtors did the same. Title deeds, mortgages, bank loans and promises to pay, all went onto the bonfire.

By the time the magistrate arrived with a band of constables to read the Riot Act all the money had gone, and all the bank papers had been destroyed. The people went off and the magistrate locked the doors, posting a big sign that read “BANKRUPT”.

Henry went home, carrying his bag of gold. Meanwhile Bob had gone forward in time to bring the villains back to Henry’s shop. They had all been so discombobulated by their experience that even Battersby was sitting quietly, looking very afraid, when Henry walked in.

Chapter Nine

Henry spoke to the two spies, “Your master is a poor man now. He cannot afford to pay you. Take this.” He tossed them a few coins. “Now go and never return. You will find no friends in this town.” They ran for the door which was still locked. “Bob, show them the back door, please.”

Then he turned to Battersby. “You have lost everything, your wealth and your power. Your enemies no longer fear you. Some of them are plotting revenge. Be sure to go by the bank on your way home if you don’t believe me. Then go far away from here and never return!”

Battersby and his spies left town that very day. Everything about the plan had gone perfectly, apart from the bit about keeping Tom and Louise safe. Jencks had woken up and staggered outside just in time to see the children leave the shop. And he followed them all the way back to the bottom of Bowling Green Lane. When they retrieved the clock from behind the bush he pounced. Before they could stop him Jencks had grabbed the clock and ran back up the alley in search of Battersby and his gold.

Louise was heartbroken. But Tom was smiling. “I still have the key. He won’t get far before the clock comes back to me. We better find Bob and Henry before the clock finds us.”

The children went back to the shop. Jencks went to the bank to find Battersby. He got there in the middle of the riot and hung back when the magistrate arrived. When he saw the BANKRUPT sign go up Jencks realised that Battersby had no more gold to give. But if the clock was so important perhaps he could still make some money out of it.

Back at the shop the children were in the kitchen. They had just finished telling Henry and Bob how Jencks had stolen the clock when the shop door tinkled and in stepped Jencks. Henry went into the shop and Bob nipped out the back and went around to guard the front door.

“What do you want?” Henry’ voice was firm and unafraid.

Jencks told his tale. “Well it’s like this, your honour. I found this clock down Twisty Alley and I recognised it straight away. Must belong to that gentleman, I said to myself. And if I take it back he might give me a reward.”

Jencks looked at Henry, “A gold coin perhaps?”

“Liar!” Henry roared with anger. “I know you, Jencks. You stole that clock and threatened my great, great, very great godchildren. Give it to me!”

Jencks grabbed the clock and ran out of the door straight into Bob, who pushed him back inside and sat on him.

“Your master is gone, and you better be gone too if you know what’s good for you. When I tell the innkeeper that you are one of Battersby’s spies you won’t get served there again or anywhere else in this town. And we will keep the clock.”

Bob stood up and gave the clock to Henry. Jencks did not need telling twice. He was out the door and down the road in a trice. He left town never to be seen again.

Now it is time for this story to end. Bob and the children promised to come back to visit Henry now that his time-travelling days were over. Henry closed his old shop and bought Battersby’s house. He turned it into a museum for all his time travelling treasures. Henry used the rest of his fortune to start a new bank that treated people fairly. He married the innkeeper’s daughter and they all lived happily ever after … until the next adventure.