reserved, and I've got the care of it.
It's a very serious offence is poaching. I've caught you red-handed.
There's the trout in that basket to prove my words."

The boys looked at each other in much consternation.

"We didn't know we were doing any harm," said Oswald at last.

"That's just what folks always tell me in a little affair of this
kind," said the man, producing a pencil and a notebook. "I'm getting
rather tired of the story. I'll trouble you for your names and
addresses, if you please."

"Why do you want them?" asked Artie cautiously.

"You'll know why when you find yourselves charged at the Llanrwst
County Court," replied the man with a grin, "or your father will, to
the tune of five pounds and costs, I reckon, or pretty near. It'll
take all your pocket money or more."

"I'll go to prison first," said Oswald stoutly.

"And so will I," declared Artie.

"Oh, no, no!" cried Linda, thoroughly frightened, and dissolving into
tears. "Please don't send them to prison! Look, I'll put the fish back
into the water. We didn't know it was wrong to take them; we didn't
indeed!"

The man coughed softly behind his hand.

"I wouldn't like to disoblige the young lady," he said; "but it's no
use putting dead fish back into the stream. There," as Linda's tears
flowed faster, "I won't be too hard on you this time. Give me the
trout, and we'll say no more about it. But don't let me catch any of
you poaching here again, or I can't let you go so easy. I've my orders
from headquarters. Now be off with you all!"

Much relieved that the boys should escape fine or imprisonment, Linda
emptied the fish from the basket on to the grass, and, seizing
Sylvia's hand, ran as fast as she could up the bank to where they had
left the donkey tied to the gate, followed by Oswald and Artie, who
only stopped to pick up their shoes and stockings by the way. They
were glad to place the stone wall between themselves and the angry
gamekeeper, and as soon as the boys had put on their footgear, they
loosed Teddie, and started off once more on the road towards Pen y
Gaer.

"What a horrid cross man!" said Sylvia. "I peeped over the wall just
now, and he was still standing there, and shook his fist at me."

"I didn't know any of the water was preserved," said Oswald, who felt
sore at the remembrance. "Well, he needn't think we want to go there
again after his old fish; they aren't such treasures as he supposes."

"Sour grapes!" laughed Art