Large discrepancy

The humor in the faces of the two illustrated characters seems rather at odds to the ominous tone of the blurb.

Also, what can be so hilarious inside a large clockwork mechanism? "Ha ha, look at that escapement!"

"Laugh at my ingenious gearing system, will they? Those fools - I'll destroy them all!"
(They shouldn't have mocked the clock, and the new mechanical diorama with the goat and the little boy who loses his trousers was adding insult to injury).

>1 EndofDiskOne: I imagine the artist was aiming for "impressed" and "delighted" or "beaming with pride", and missed.

I think Time must have been the apprentice. They pranked him and he's running away. Probably with his pants down.

This cover deserves a big hand.
And a little one.

"Joe always was kinda clumsy, wasn't he, Fred?" remarked Tom, pointing to the industrial accident....

GSS to all.

I can practically hear the fake hearty laughter.