"He said things of that sort," Lambert vaguely replied.
"Well, just look here a minute. Here's the little bucket almost quite immersed: so the water displaced ought to be just about the same bulk. And now just look at it!" He took out the little bucket as he spoke, and handed the big one to Lambert. "Why, there's hardly a teacupful! Do you mean to say that water is the same bulk as the little bucket?"
"Course it is," said Lambert.
"Well, look here again!" cried Hugh, triumphantly, as he poured the water from the big bucket into the little one. "Why, it doesn't half fill it!"
"That's its business," said Lambert. "If Balbus says it's the same bulk, why, it is the same bulk, you know."
"Well, I don't believe it," said Hugh.
"You needn't," said Lambert. "Besides, it's dinner-time. Come along."
They found Balbus waiting dinner for them, and to him Hugh at once propounded his difficulty.
"Let's get you helped first," said Balbus, briskly cutting away at the joint. "You know the old proverb 'Mutton first, mechanics afterwards'?"
The boys did not know the proverb, but they accepted it in perfect good faith, as they did every piece of information, however startling, that came from so infallible an authority as their tutor. They ate on steadily in silence, and, when dinner was over, Hugh set out the usual array of pens, ink, and paper, while Balbus repeated to them the problem he had prepared for their afternoon's task.