Julie backed sharply away. "No, thank you."
"We've stolen all kinds of plans and formulas and things," Cecil said. "Even secret recipes. But everyone acts like you do; they won't let us give them a thing. Our room is filled with secret papers. We could overthrow any government in the world just like that, if someone would just take us seriously."
"That's too bad," Julie said.
"The trouble is we've got no reputation; we've never done anything terrible enough to get a break."
"Yeah," Gerald slurred. "That's the trouble. But we'll make it yet. We'll do something perfectly monstrous one of these days and then we'll be in. We've got ambition and talent."
"I'm sure you have," Julie said.
"You're very nice to encourage us like this," Cecil said. "And we won't let you down either. We're very good at our trade. Would you like to see us skulk?"
"Skulk?" Julie said. "How do you mean?"
"Oh, just skulk. You know, slither and sneak around and things like that." He turned to Gerald. "Let's show her, huh?"
"All right!" Gerald said. "I'm ready."