His temperament was not of that kind.

He did not care to assume direction of an expedition because it carried too much trouble and some responsibility.

His mind was wayward and liable to shift to some other thing at any moment; besides, mischief for its own sake did not appeal to him.

The real leaders were the two sons of the village shoemaker.

They were under-sized, weazened, shrewd, sly little scamps, and appeared not to have the resolution of chickadees, but had a singular genius for getting others into trouble.