156
The Zankiwank
“It is ridiculous. You cannot measure time and cut off a bit like that,” ventured Willie.
“Oh yes, you can. A client of mine was laid up the other day—in fact he was in bed for a fortnight, so, as he had no use for the time he had on hand before him, he just went to sleep and sent ten days round to me!”
“Oh, Mr Zankiwank, what is this gentleman saying?” said Maude.
“It’s all perfectly true,” answered the Zankiwank. “You often hear of somebody who has half an hour to spare, don’t you?”
“Of course.”
“Very good. Sometimes you will hear, too, of somebody who has lost ten minutes.”
“I see,” said Willie.
“And somebody else will tell you they do not know what to do with their Time?”
“Go on,” cried both children, more puzzled than ever.
“Well, instead of letting all the Time be wasted, Mr Swinglebinks has opened his exchange to receive all the spare time he can, and this he