287 
A BAND OF PIRATES 
good-sized minnow. The females carry stout lit¬ 
tle egg-laying tools, by which a slit is made in the 
stems of water plants and the egg mass thrust 
partly inside for safe keeping. Probably if we 
look about among the water plants and rushes we 
shall be able to find a back-swimmer’s nursery.” 
It was a happy suggestion, and one which 
shortly brought results; for Max’s eager eyes lo¬ 
cated a pierced stem with its trailing decorations, 
and he hauled it triumphantly forth. 
“Well done,” ejaculated Uncle John, but as 
the stem came to his hand his expression changed, 
and he drew a magnifying glass from his pocket, 
asking each one to observe the nursery carefully. 
He waited expectantly, but, though there were 
plenty of comments, the point he hoped would 
score escaped the eyes of all, not even excepting 
Tommy, who was fast becoming no mean ob¬ 
server. “ I thought you would see it,” he said, 
then, a bit disappointedly, as the glass and stem 
came back to him. “ How often must I tell you 
never to take anything for granted? Does this 
nursery tally exactly with the description given 
for that of the back-swimmer’s? ” 
“ Why,—y-es,” stammered Alice, “a slit in the 
stalk, part of the egg mass inside and part hang- 
ing.” 
“ Was that your impression, Tommy? ” 
“ Well, no,” observed the boy slowly; “ to me 
