ARGENTINE TWP., MI -- Two young girls got a big surprise when they were playing a game while swimming in Lobdell Lake on Tuesday, May 29.

Paige Burnett, 10, and Sage Menzies, 9, were playing a game they called "Mermaid," where they dive down into the water and search for things below the surface.

When Paige dove down into the murky water, her hand ran across something that she thought was big. She had Sage try and help her get it, but the treasure they'd discovered was half buried in the sand.

The girls solicited the help of Sage's mother and once it was out of the water they couldn't quite determine what the 3-foot long item was because it was covered in sand and muck.

Later, when they pulled back some of the debris attached to it they were able to step back and make out what it was.

An old rusty, World War I practice bomb, according to police.

"We were super excited that we had found this instead of just something metal," Menzies said. "We were saying 'we could be famous.'"

With three fins on the bottom and a little bit of red, white and blue faded paint barely visible, the adults realized the bomb could be active.

"When they realized what it was they said 'leave it alone,'" said Yvonne Burnett, Paige's grandmother. "It's quite a relic. We had called the police and they called the bomb squad in and they said they have seen these before and they are usually around Lake Huron."

Paige Burnett said when she was excited when they pulled the item from the lake.

"I was jumping up and down and we were both crying," she said before realizing what it was. "I thought it was gonna explode. I was so scared."

But the children's stint of fear subsided when police arrived.

Argentine Township police Sgt. Douglas Fulton said he responded to the initial call to the 16000 block of Whitehead Drive.

He said he called the Michigan State Police's bomb squad to make sure the device was not dangerous.

"This is definitely one for the books," Fulton said. "It's definitely old. They drilled a hole in it and nothing but mud came out. It was a pretty interesting find."

Members of the bomb squad told the girls that the item they found at the bottom of the lake was a Mark 2 practice bomb.

Whenever fighter pilots were done with their practice runs, they often would drop whatever practice ordnance they had left, Fulton said.

The bomb squad drilled holes in the side of the bomb and were leaving with it when the families asked if the girls could keep it.

Now they'll have the story to share and the bomb to show off to their friends.