there, assorted colors, and there's something stolid and British about a
Canadian worm. The fish aren't crazy about 'em. On the other hand, our
worms here are--er--vivacious, animated. I've seen a really brisk and
on-to-its-job United States worm reach out and clutch a bass by the
gills."

I believe it was the next day that Tish went to the library and read
about worms. Aggie and I had spent the day buying tackle, according to
Charlie Sands's advice. We got some very good rods with nickel-plated
reels for two dollars and a quarter, a dozen assorted hooks for each
person, and a dozen sinkers. The man wanted to sell us what he called a
"landing net," but I took a good look at it and pinched Aggie.

"I can make one out of a barrel hoop and mosquito netting," I whispered;
so we did not buy it.

Perhaps he thought we were novices, for he insisted on showing us all
sorts of absurd things--trolling-hooks, he called them; gaff hooks for
landing big fish and a spoon that was certainly no spoon and did not
fool us for a minute, being only a few hooks and a red feather. He asked
a dollar and a quarter for it!

[I made one that night at home, using a bit of red feather from a
duster. It cost me just three cents. Of that, as of Hutchins, more
later.]

Aggie, whose idea of Canada had been the Hotel Frontenac, had grown
rather depressed as our preparations proceeded. She insisted that night
on recalling the fact that Mr. Wiggins had been almost drowned in
Canada.

"He went with the Roof and Gutter Club, Lizzie," she said, "and he was a
beautiful swimmer; but the water comes from the North Pole, freezing
cold, and the first thing he knew--"

The telephone bell rang just then. It was Tish.

"I've just come from the library, Lizzie," she said. "We'd better raise
the worms. We've got a month to do it in. Hutchins and I will be round
with the car at eight o'clock to-night. Night is the time to get them."

She refused to go into details, but asked us to have an electric flash
or two ready and a couple of wooden pails. Also she said to wear
mackintoshes and rubbers. Just before she rang off, she asked me to see
that there was a package of oatmeal on hand, but did not explain. When I
told Aggie she eyed me miserably.

"I wish she'd be either more explicit or less," she said. "We'll be
arrested again. I know it!"

[Now and then Tish's enthusiasms have brought us into collision with the
law--not that Tish has not every respect fo