there are four simple ways for the observant to tell mr. croup and mr. vandemar apart : first , mr. vandemar is two and a half heads taller than mr. croup ; second , mr. croup has eyes of a faded china blue , while mr. vandemar 's eyes are brown ; third , while mr. vandemar fashioned the rings he wears on his right hand out of the skulls of four ravens , mr. croup has no obvious jewelery ; fourth , mr. croup likes words , while mr. vandemar is always hungry .