Archie’s Pond Launch

Archie had been making a paper boat all afternoon. Daisy was making one too. Dad had promised to float them in the shallow garden basin at half past three. Archie looked at the kitchen clock. “Is it time yet?”

The long minute hand pointed straight up. The short hour hand pointed to three. “It is three o’clock,” said Dad. “We have half an hour before our boat launch.” Archie looked at his unfinished sail. That was useful time.

Dad showed him a paper clock. “At half past three, the minute hand will point down to six. The hour hand will be halfway between three and four.” Archie moved the paper hands to those places and looked carefully.

Daisy coloured her sail while Archie folded a stronger base for his boat. Dad fetched the basin and set it on level ground outside. Every so often, Archie checked the clock. The hands were moving slowly towards launch time.

At last, the long hand pointed to six. The short hand was between three and four. “Half past three!” called Archie. Dad checked with him. “Yes. Thirty minutes have passed since three o’clock. Half an hour has gone by.”

They carried their boats outside. Dad stayed beside the shallow basin as Daisy lowered hers into the water. Archie followed. His boat leaned, then settled. “It floats!” he said. Daisy blew gently, and her boat drifted across the basin.

After the launch, Archie picked up the paper clock again. He made three o’clock, then half past three. “The long hand went halfway round,” he told Daisy. “That showed the half hour while we finished our boats.”

The boats came back indoors to dry on a tray. Dad emptied the basin onto the garden soil. Archie put his paper clock beside the tray. “Next time, I’ll make a flag,” he said. Daisy grinned. “And I’ll make two!”