ten minutes to two
shouted Tom , as he struggled to his knees and then to his feet . `` I 'll smash you ! '' and he lowered his head and made another blind rush . But this time Gard was ready for him , and a stout buffet on the ear as he passed sent him crashing in a heap into the bowels of the clock , which had witnessed no such doings since Tom 's great-grandfather brought it home and stood it in its place , and it testified to its amazement at them by standing with hands uplifted at ten minutes to two until it was repaired many months afterwards . Tom got up rather dazedly , and Gard took him by the shoulders and ran him outside before he had time to pull himself together . `` Now , '' said Gard , shaking him as a bull-dog might a calf . `` See here !