that's only an old Lake _Advertiser_," answered Mrs. Phillips, as
she placed the potatoes on the table and wiped her moist, hot face
with the corner of her gingham apron. "Letty Mills brought it in
around a parcel this morning. It's four weeks old, but I kept it to
read if I ever get time. It's so seldom we see a paper of any kind
nowadays. But I haven't looked at it yet. Why, Danny, what on earth is
the matter?"

For Dan, who had opened the paper and glanced over the first page,
suddenly gave a choked exclamation and turned pale, staring stupidly
at the sheet before him.

"See, Mother," he gasped, as she came up in alarm and looked over his
shoulder. This is what they read:

Notice

Anyone found fishing on my pond at Carleton after date will be
prosecuted according to law, without respect of persons.

June First. H.C. Walters.

"Oh, Danny, what does it mean?"

Dan went and carefully closed the door of Ella May's room before he
replied. His face was pale and his voice shaky.

"Mean? Well, Mother, it just means that I've been stealing Mr.
Walters's trout all summer--_stealing_ them. That's what it means."

"Oh, Danny! But you didn't know."

"No, but I ought to have remembered that he was the new owner, and
have asked him. I never thought. Mother, what does 'prosecuted
according to law' mean?"

"I don't know, I'm sure, Danny. But if this is so, there's only one
thing to be done. You must go straight to Mr. Walters and tell him all
about it."

"Mother, I don't dare to. He is a dreadfully hard man. Sam French's
father says--"

"I wouldn't believe a word Sam French's father says about Mr.
Walters!" said Mrs. Phillips firmly. "He's got a spite against him
because he was dismissed. Besides, Danny, it's the only right thing to
do. You know that. We're poor, but we have never done anything
underhand yet."

"Yes, Mother, I know," said Dan, gulping his fear bravely down. "I'll
go, of course, right after dinner. I was only scared at first. I'll
tell you what I'll do. I'll clean these trout nicely and take them to
Mr. Walters, and tell him that, if he'll only give me time, I'll pay
him back every cent of money I got for all I sold this summer. Then
maybe he'll let me off, seeing as I didn't know about the notice."

"I'll go with you, Danny."

"No, I'll go alone, Mother. You needn't go with me," said Dan
heroically. To himself he said that his mother had troubles e