“It’s simply wonderful!” grunted Bruce. “Look at the difference between that big fellow and this one.”
He picked up one of the smallest fish.
Hans could not keep his eyes off the perch, although he was hastening to dress. He crowded in with the others as he drew on his trousers and drew his suspenders up over his shoulders.
“Oh! I do lofe peautiful veesh,” he gurgled. “They vos goot food to ead your prain vor. I alvays ead veesh ven I can got them.”
“That explains why you have such a remarkable brain,” observed Browning, as he dropped the small perch down the Dutch lad’s back, thrusting it inside the collar of his shirt, which was not buttoned.
As the cold, clammy fish slipped down his back, Hans gave a wild howl and leaped into the air, giving a twist of his body and making a frantic effort to reach over his shoulder and catch hold of the perch.
“Wow!” he whooped. “Vot id vos, aind id? Hellup. Vos I struck lightnin’s py? Ye-e-e-ow! Got dot out uf my pack off! Kvick! Shimminy Gristmas! I pet zwei tollars dot vos a snake grawlin’ your pack down! Take it avay!”
He nearly turned himself wrongside out in his convulsive efforts. The fish slipped still farther down his back and finally got into the left leg of his trousers.
“Ye-e-e-eh!” squealed the fat Dutch lad, dancing around the room on his right foot and kicking out with the other. “Dot snake peen comin’ down your drowsers legs! Got a club und kill me kvick! Don’d let me got avay!”
The boys had seen Browning’s act, and they were convulsed with laughter at the antics of the frightened Dutch lad.