Frantically they dashed about the glass prison, bumping their noses cruelly, until at last, quite exhausted by their efforts to get free, they finally lay panting at the bottom of the jar. Occasionally they would rise to the top for air, but oh, how miserably unhappy they were. They could picture to themselves even now the agony of mind their parents and little brother endured as they searched frantically behind every pebble to find their wayward children. They longed, oh, so sadly, for their beloved brook with its shady haunts, to lie basking in the clear water which the sun warmed pleasantly, while their neighbours sang sweetly above them--the bluebird, the thrush, and hundreds of other birds which charmed and entertained them all day long when they came to bathe in the brook. The water in the fruit-jar was rapidly growing stale and lifeless. The Twins realised that they could not live there very long. What would be their sad fate? Cautiously they looked from their glass prison; the boy was no longer in sight. Soon all became dark about them and they knew it was night. Doubtless their parents and little brother were dreaming peacefully deep down in the cool, dark waters of the brook in a favourite nook beneath some broad lily leaf. Next morning the Twins were barely alive; they lay gasping weakly. Suddenly a great striped paw armed with hooked claws was thrust down into the jar which it overturned, Minnow Twins and all, and the Twins thought their last moment had come. Then the boy appeared and they heard him say: "Hi, there, Pussy, you rogue. Clear out. You're trying to steal my minnows that I worked so hard to catch for bait. Get out!" The boy put the minnows back into the jar and poured fresh water upon them, which served to revive them wonderfully. Another boy finally appeared carrying a tin pail in which he had many other unfortunate minnows. "I know a fine place to fish," he exclaimed; "there's an awful big pickerel lives right under a great, flat stone, down near the swimming hole. Come on; let's go and try for him." It was a very hot day, and by the time the boys reached the brook they had decided to take a little swim in a certain deep hole, down by the willows, so they set the pail and jar carefully on a stone beside the brook. They were in such a rush to get undressed and plunge into the water that they had a race to see which should get in first.