He formed for Shif'less Sol an inexhaustible and entertaining study in character.
"I ain't quite seen his like afore," said the shiftless one to Paul.
"First time I run acrost him I thought he would tumble down among the first bushes he met.

'Stead o' that, he sailed right through 'em, makin' never a trip an' no noise at all, same ez Long Jim's teeth sinkin' into a juicy venison steak." "I've heard tell," said Long Jim, who also contemplated the prodigy, "that big, chunky, awkward-lookin' things are sometimes ez spry ez you.
They say that the Hipperpotamus kin outrun the giraffe across the sands uv Afriky, an' I know from pussonal experience that the bigger an' clumsier a b'ar is the faster he kin make you scoot fur your life.

But he's the real Dutch, ain't he, Paul, one uv them fellers that licked the Spanish under the Duke uv Alivy an' Belisarry ?" "Undoubtedly," replied Paul, who did not consider it necessary to correct Long Jim's history, "and I'm willing to predict to you, Jim Hart, that Heemskerk will be a mighty good man in any fight that we may have." Heemskerk rolled up to them.

He seemed to have a sort of circular motion like that of a revolving tube, but he kept pace with the others, nevertheless, and he showed no signs of exertion.
"Don't you think it a funny thing that I, Cornelius Heemskerk, am here ?" he said to Paul.
"Why so, Mr.Heemskerk ?" replied Paul politely.

"Because I am a Dutchman.