Gav, the scholar, who had already reached daylight through the first three books of Euclid, and took a walk every Saturday morning with his father and Herodotus, even Gav, the scholar, was as thick-witted as Corp.
"We'll let other laddies buy them," Tommy explained in his superior way, "and then after the Muckley is past, we'll buy them frae them." The others understood now.

After a Muckley there was always a great dearth of pence, and a moneyed man could become owner of Muckley purchases at a sixth part of the Muckley price.
"You crittur!" exclaimed Corp, in abject admiration.
But Gav saw an objection.

"The feck of them," he pointed out, "will waur their siller on shows and things to eat, instead of on what we want them to buy." "So they will, the nasty sackets!" cried Corp.
"You couldna blame a laddie for buying Teuch and Tasty," continued Gav with triumph, for he was a little jealous of Tommy.
"You couldna," agreed Corp, "no, I'll be dagont, if you could," and his hand pressed his money feverishly.
"Deuteronomy!" roared Tommy, and Corp's hand jumped as if it had been caught in some other person's, pocket.
"But how are we to do ?" he asked.

"If you like, I'll take Birkie and the Haggerty-Taggertys round the Muckley and fight ilka ane that doesna buy--" "Corp," said Tommy, calmly, "I wonder at you.

Do you no ken yet that the best plan is to leave a thing to me ?" "Blethering gowks that we are, of course it is!" cried Corp, and he turned almost fiercely upon Gav.