One thing I discovered , which put me in some doubt . This was an entry on the fly-leaf of a chap-book -LRB- one of Patrick Walker 's -RRB- plainly written by my father 's hand and thus conceived : `` To my brother Ebenezer on his fifth birthday . '' Now , what puzzled me was this : That , as my father was of course the younger brother , he must either have made some strange error , or he must have written , before he was yet five , an excellent , clear manly hand of writing . I tried to get this out of my head ; but though I took down many interesting authors , old and new , history , poetry , and story-book , this notion of my father 's hand of writing stuck to me ; and when at length I went back into the kitchen , and sat down once more to porridge and small beer , the first thing I said to Uncle Ebenezer was to ask him if my father had not been very quick at his book . `` Alexander ? No him ! '' was the reply . `` I was far quicker mysel ' ; I was a clever chappie when I was young . Why , I could read as soon as he could . '' This puzzled me yet more ; and a thought coming into my head , I asked if he and my father had been twins . He jumped upon his stool , and the horn spoon fell out of his hand upon the floor . `` What gars ye ask that ? '' he said , and he caught me by the breast of the jacket , and looked this time straight into my eyes : his own were little and light , and bright like a bird 's , blinking and winking strangely . `` What do you mean ? '' I asked , very calmly , for I was far stronger than he , and not easily frightened . `` Take your hand from my jacket . This is no way to behave . '' My uncle seemed to make a great effort upon himself . `` Dod man , David , '' he said , `` ye should-nae speak to me about your father . That 's where the mistake is . ''
He sat awhile and shook , blinking in his plate : `` He was all the brother that ever I had , '' he added , but with no heart in his voice ; and then he caught up his spoon and XXXXX to supper again , but still shaking .
Take caught coming conceived discovered fell looked put said winking