Finally, one Twin poked his head boldly into the opening and entered. Strangely enough his twin could plainly see him upon the other side of the object. He signalled with one fin for his brother to join him, that all was safe, nothing to fear, and then both the Minnow Twins went right inside the glass jar, for that was what it was. In an instant the boy who owned the glass jar had pulled the string which was tied about its neck, only the foolish minnows had not seen it, and the next moment they were captives.
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.
Thus it happened that one boy in pulling off his shoe aimed it carelessly at the fruit-jar. Over it toppled with a jingling crash, and the next instant the Minnow Twins were back in the brook and had darted out of sight under a stone. Here they lay just a few seconds, because they felt a little weak after their confinement. At last they stole cautiously forth, and as good luck would have it found themselves right in a little bed of mint. They nibbled greedily of the healing mint roots, and soon the wonderful tonic made them quite strong again. Whisking off and looking warily to right and left, they started in the direction of their old haunts.