where ponds and rivers require looking after."

"That's where you make a big mistake," Thad informed him. "Right up
among the Great Lakes there are millions of dollars taken out in fish
every year; and if the Government didn't watch sharp plenty of
unscrupulous fishermen would use all kinds of illegal devices for
getting big hauls. They are limited to certain kinds of nets or seines;
and so the precious sturgeon, and the delicious white fish that are in
these lakes will be kept from being exterminated."

"Thank you for telling us that, Thad; it's all news to me," said Step
Hen. "But what about the trout; I've heard there are awful big speckled
trout in Superior?"

"So there are, as high as eight pounds; and the Government hatchery at
the Soo has hundreds that large in their ponds, for breeding purposes,
I've read," Thad continued, for the topic was a favorite one with him,
and he was a very accommodating boy at that; "that in Michigan, for
instance, the law doesn't allow trout to be offered for sale or shipped;
so while they catch some whoppers in the acts they use for white fish,
they have to put most of them back."

"And then you think that p'raps those men are wardens, looking for
poachers that are breaking the law some way or other?" Giraffe asked.

"I only said that might be who they are," Thad insisted. "You notice
they have a high-powered boat that could make circles all around, ours,
if they wanted to let her engine out. And it's painted black, perhaps
so they can sneak up on a dark night without being seen. But as they're
two miles away from us by now, suppose we cut out talking any more about