The three children watched him closely. First came a piece of wood with a
fishline wound around it.

Then with his knife he cut three poles and near the top of each a little
notch. The fishlines were tied around the poles. At the other end he put
little curved fish-hooks, and about two feet above them little pieces of
lead, called "sinkers." The sinkers were to keep the hooks near the bottom
of the pond where the fish stay most of the time.

Then from his pockets the Toyman took three pretty things which he had made
the night before. They were whittled of wood and shaped like lemons with
sharper points. The red and blue one was tied on Jehosophat's line, the red
and yellow one on Marmaduke's, and the blue and yellow on little
Hepzebiah's.

"What are those pretty things?" asked Marmaduke.

"Floaters," the Toyman answered. "Watch and you will see what we do with
them."

"Now you keep still, you Wienerwurst, or we will put you back in the
kennel," called the Toyman to the little yellow dog, who felt very frisky
and wanted to bark all the time.

By the feet of the Toyman was a tin can. He put in his hand and pulled out
a worm. This was put on Jehosophat's hook, another on Marmaduke's, and
another on Hepzebiah's.

Then the Toyman threw the three hooks in the water. The two boys held their
poles tight but the Toyman had to help little Hepzebiah hold her pole, for