"And will be true enough," said Yaspard. "Only there is more in it than that."
"We shan't mind telling your uncle all about it," Tom replied, "if you don't think it will make a row."
"There won't be any need to tell him at present, and he is bound to hear it from Mr. Neeven. These two have long confabs every day, and I just believe—for I've sometimes heard bits of their talk—that they don't talk science so much as all about the pranks they played when they were boys. You wouldn't think it, to look at him, but Aunt Osla says Mr. Neeven was an awful boy."
It was hard to imagine the serious scientist and the melancholy recluse two restless mischievous boys. The irreverent young rascals amused themselves till they reached the Laulie with fancy sketches of the two gentlemen (when they were known merely as Brüs and Gaun) getting into all sorts of ridiculous pickles, until Harry checked the nonsensical chatter by remarking, "Every man is a boy first, and has to be a bit of a donkey, with the tricks of a monkey, till he grows up and gets sense. I hope we will all grow up with half the brains in our noddles that these two have got."
Bill Mitchell had scarcely spoken a word since the time they were discovered, but now he said very solemnly, "He's full of brains, that man! but I'd rather be more empty-headed, and less like a katyogle[3] that's been sitting on a stone all day with a dozen of undigested sandyloos[4] and sna-fowl[5] in his crop."
[1] "Madram," extravagant action, the result of wild, animal spirits.
[2] Frisky simpletons.
[3] "Katyogle," snowy owl.
[4] "Sandyloos," ringed plover.
[5] "Sna-fowl," snow buntings.