I'm so sorry.' Suddenly he seemed confused and uncertain. 'My father passed away several years ago.' 'I'm sorry, but that's not possible.' Hermux stopped. He's the one I want to see! Where can I find him? I want to see him right away.' 'You must be looking for my father, Linnix. 'Hermux Tantamoq.' He extended a friendly paw. 'I am Tantamoq!' Hermux told the old chipmunk. Like someone had snipped it off with a pair of scissors. Then he noticed that the old chipmunk was missing an ear. There was something sort of lopsided about his head. He was wearing a faded, rusty-colored, corduroy jacket with patches on the elbows. But so skinny that he couldn't have weighed much more than a mouse. A bit taller than Hermux as you might expect. Hermux rubbed his eyes and studied his surprise visitor. 'Tantamoq!' a shrill voice boomed in his ear.Ĭlenton Yooger's mainspring sprang from his watch, skittered across the workbench, ricocheted off the tool rack, and disappeared onto the floor. That's when someone slapped him on the back. Then he inserted a tiny pair of tweezers to release the mainspring, which as everyone knows, is the very most ticklish part of watchmaking. He fitted his magnifying loupe to his right eye and opened the heavy gold case. Hermux got Clenton Yooger's big pocket watch down from the work shelf. He put a sign out on the front counter that said,īack in the workshop, please ring the bell! What a pleasant thought! He raised the shade and switched on the lights. A nice, plump red apple might be just the thing for lunch. Hermux was a mouse who appreciated a good meal. 'Now that's a nice smell!'īefore he went inside he took another good sniff. There was something delicious in the air.

'What a beautiful morning for watchmaking!' thought Hermux Tantamoq as he unlocked the door to his shop.

The Sands of Time by Michael Hoeye