after they were covered up , the boy - man , looking sharply about , saw that among them they had caught one large trout , which was lying just by their side . stealing along , he slyly seized it . placing his fingers in the gills , and tossing his ball before him , he ran off at full speed . they heard the pattering of his little steps upon the ice . when the four looked up all together , they saw their fine trout sliding away , as if of itself , at a great rate , the boy being so small that he could not be distinguished from the fish . " see ! " they cried out , " our fish is running away on the dry land ! " when they stood up they could just see , over the fish 's head , that it was the boy - man who was carrying it off . the little spirit reached the lodge , and having left the trout at the door , he told his sister to go out and bring in the fish he had brought home . she exclaimed , " where could you have got it ? i hope you have not stolen it . "
the boy was playing with the ball .
why did the sister suspect the boy stole the fish ?
why did the sister suspect the boy stole the fish ?