132 MARK TWAIN'S SKETCHES. 



The assembled wisdom sat in speechless adoration of this imperial intellect. All 

 doubts had instantly departed, like night before the lightning. 



The Tumble-Bug had just intruded, unnoticed. He now came reeling forward 

 among the scholars, familiarly slapping first one and then another on the shoulder, 

 saying "Nice ('ic!) nice old boy!" and smiling a smile of elaborate content. 

 Arrived at a good position for speaking, he put his left arm akimbo with his knuckles 

 planted in his hip just under the edge of his cut-away coat, bent his right leg, 

 placing his toe on the ground and resting his heel with easy grace against his left 

 shin, puffed out his aldermanic stomach, opened his lips, leaned his right elbow 

 on Inspector Lizard's shoulder, and — 



But the shoulder was indignantly withdrawn and the hard-handed son of toil 

 went to earth. He floundered a bit but came up smiling, arranged his attitude 

 with the same careful detail as before, only choosing Professor Dogtick's shoulder 

 for a support, opened his lips and — 



Went to earth again. He presently scrambled up once more, still smiling, made 

 a loose effort to brush the dust off his coat and legs, but a smart pass of his hand 

 missed entirely and the force of the unchecked impulse slewed him suddenly 

 around, twisted his legs together, and projected him, limber and sprawling, into the 

 lap of the Lord Longlegs. Two or three scholars sprang forward, flung the 

 low creature head over heels into a corner and reinstated the patrician, smoothing 

 his ruffled dignity with many soothing and regretful speeches. Professor Bull Frog 

 roared out : 



" No more of this, sirrah Tumble-Bug ! Say your say and then get you about 

 your business with speed ! — Quick — what is your errand .' Come — move off a 

 trifle ; you smell like a stable ; what have you been at .? " 



"Please ('ic!) please your worship I chanced to light upon a find. But no 



m (e-uck/) matter 'bout that. There's b ('ic!) been another find which beg 



pardon, your honors, what was that th ('ic !) thing that ripped by here first ? " 



"It was the Vernal Equinox." 



" Inf ('ic !) fernal equinox. 'At's all right. — D ('ic !) Dunno /lim. What's other 

 one?" 



" The transit of Venus." 



