A BAND OF PIRATES 227 
water scorpions, and dragon-fly grubs, not to 
mention the plump pond-snails, leeches, and the 
little canoes of mosquitoes-to-be.” 
“ The pond! the pond! ” shouted Tommy and 
Max enthusiastically, notwithstanding the fact 
that two-thirds of their spare time was always 
spent at this interesting retreat. “ But,” Tommy 
naively explained, when some one mentioned this 
fact, “ we go swimming then! ” 
To be sure! You boys all understand how 
that is: you are so busy having a perfectly de¬ 
lightful time yourselves that you give small heed 
to the affairs of the tiny water dwellers whom 
your antics have doubtless driven to cover. If 
you mean to get acquainted with pond life, a trip 
must be made for that purpose alone; this the 
Dayton boys well knew, and they lost no time 
in doing their part to get the expedition under 
way. 
“ Please let’s not waste any time on tadpoles,” 
begged Alice, on arriving at the water’s edge; 
“ we all know them. Let’s look for the caddis 
submarines. ‘ Stones that move, 5 one authority 
terms them; but I’ve never been able to find any¬ 
thing of the sort. The ones I have taken up on 
suspicion are never anything but plain old pud¬ 
ding-stones.” 
“ Not all caddis submarines are built of 
stones,” Uncle John informed. “ Indeed, the 
