"Minnies are the real thing," explained Junior. "When we get the scheme father laid out going, before we start fishing, you and I will take a net and come to this creek and catch a bucketful of right bait, and then we'll have man's sport, for sure. Won't it be great?" "Exactly what the plutes are doing," said Mickey. "Gee, Junior, if your Pa does all the things he said he was going to, you'll be a plute yourself!" "Never heard him say anything in my life he didn't do," said Junior, "and didn't you notice that he put _you_ in too? You'll be just as much of a plute as I will." "Not on your bromide," said Mickey. "He is _your_ father, and you'll be in business with him; I'll just be along sometimes, as a friend, maybe." "I usually take father at just what he says. I guess he means you to stay in our family, if you like." "I wonder now!" said Mickey. "Looks like it to me. Father and mother both like you, and they're daffy about Peaches." "It's because she's so little, and so white, and so helpless," Mickey hastened to explain, "and so awful sweet!" "Well for what ever it is, it _is_," said Junior, "and I'm just as crazy about her as the rest. Look out kid! That fellow's coming right at us!" Junior dashed for the fence, while Mickey lost time in turning to see what "that fellow" might be; so he faced the ram that had practised on Malcolm Minturn. With lowered head, the ram sprang at Mickey. He flew in air, and it butted space and whirled again, so that before the boy's breath was fully recovered he lifted once more, with all the agility learned on the streets of Multiopolis; but that time the broad straw hat he wore to protect his eyes on the water, sailed from his head; he dropped the poles, and as the ram came back at him he hit it squarely in the face with the bait can, which angered rather than daunted it. Then for a few minutes Mickey was too busy to know exactly what happened, and movements were too quick for Junior. When he saw that Mickey was tiring, and the ram was not, he caught a rail from the fence and helped subdue the ram. Panting they climbed the fence and sat resting. "Why I didn't know Higgins had that ram," said Junior. "We fellows always crossed that field before. Say, there ain't much in that '_Gentle sheep pray tell me why, In the pleasant fields you lie?_' business, is there?" "Not much but the lie," said Mickey earnestly. Junior dropped from the fence and led the way toward a wood thick with underbrush, laughing until his heart pained. As they proceeded they heard voices. "Why that sounds like my bunch," said Junior. He whistled shrilly, which brought an immediate response, and soon two boys appeared. "Hello!" said Junior. "Hello!" answered they. "Where're you going?" asked Junior. "To Atwater Lake, fishing. Where you?" "There too!" said Junior. "Why great! We'll go together! Sam, this is Mickey." Mickey offered his hand and formalities were over. "But I threw our worms at the ram," said Mickey.