Gauge Read Online Free PDF

right, I’m not frightened of ghosts,” she shouted. And up the steps she pounded – not, of course, expecting to encounter Sir Rufus Trenchcombe at the top.
    She stopped by the platform, too scared to even shake. The clock bonged again, almost deafening her.
    “Ah, child,” said Sir Rufus. “Canst thou free the spirit caught on the rope?” He pointed a wispy finger.

    Lucy glanced sideways and saw the pendulum rope jigging about. Suddenly, Gauge appeared. His wings were beating like mad. He was trying to escape from the shaft but the heavy rope was making it hard for him to fly. With an exhausted hrrr he fell back into the darkness. The clock responded with another loud bong.
    Lucy ran to his aid. She grabbed the rope and pulled it up to the platform rail. Her nimble fingers quickly released the young dragon. “Are you all right?” she asked.
    Gauge shook a cobweb off his tail and nodded. He frowned and turned his head towards the clock. Before Lucy could ask what he was doing, he had flown to the housing and was hurring deeply on one of the big wheels. To her surprise, Lucy saw that a patch of gooey gunge around the wheel was suddenly flowing like oil. The clock gave a heave and the wheel moved freely.
    Sir Rufus Trenchcombe whooped with joy. “The counter-sprocket! The dragon creature has released the counter-sprocket. Now the clock may run more keenly.”
    Lucy stepped forward and stubbed her toe against something on the floor. “Ow, what’s this?” She picked up a heavy piece of metal.
    “’Tis the weight for the pendulum arm,” said Sir Rufus. He pointed to the rope.
    “You mean, if I tie this on the end the clock is fixed?” Lucy asked.
    “Almost certainly, child.”
    So Lucy tied on the weight and let it fall down the shaft. Immediately, the clock gave a sequence of chimes. “It works!” she shouted. “It works! It works!”
    Sir Rufus drifted towards the clock’s machinery. “Hmm. I fear some adjustment may yet be needed. The warmth of the dragon’s breath might have caused some damage to the chime counter.”
    Gauge gave a hrrr that sounded like “Oops”. He blew a smoke ring and looked a bit sheepish.
    Lucy flapped a hand. “Well, you look after that. I’ve got to save my mum from going to prison, now.”
    “A noble gesture,” Sir Rufus said, bowing. “I am indebted to you, child.” He put out a hand and tried to shake Lucy’s. It was a bit scary, watching a ghost hand bobbing up and down through your own, but Lucy was brave and didn’t even squeak.

    Gathering Gauge to her she said her goodbyes and hurried down the stairs.
    To her relief her mum was still there, fanning the policeman who had fainted with a book. “Mum,” she cried. “Gauge mended the clock!”
    The word quickly went round. Those protesters that were still about shouted hooray.
    “What about the ghost, then?” one of them asked.
    Lucy said, “He’s happy. And the clock properly works.” As if to prove it, high above them the clock began to bong. The crowd cheered loudly.
    “Now we can all go home,” said Lucy.
    “Just one second,” a smug voice said. It was Councillor Trustable. He turned his wrist and tapped his watch. “I make it four o’clock precisely.” He paused and cupped a hand around his ear. “Your clock has just chimed seven…”

Chapter Nine

    The next day, it was in all the papers. The protest. Councillor Trustable’s new plans. The policeman’s purple boots (“Local Teacher Let Off With Warning”). The mystery of the ghost of Sir Rufus Trenchcombe. The strange goings-on with the clock.
    Lucy sat, deflated, at the kitchen table, reading one paragraph over again. It said:

    Lucy let her head sink onto her arms. “We’ve failed,” she said.
    Liz sighed and glanced at Gauge. The young dragon looked terribly crestfallen. “It’s no one’s fault. We all tried our best. Gauge probably wasn’t meant to mend clocks anyway.”
    Nevertheless, the dragon let his shoulders