THE SPIDER-HUNTERS 



one leg, and this time really dragged it off. It was a 

 good load for her, and it evidently required all of her 

 strength to pull it along. Not far away was a lump of 

 earth, under which the treasure was stowed; and then 

 began the usual hunting performance, which soon re- 

 sulted in the discovery of another cavity which had a 

 very small opening. 



She crept in, remained a minute, and then came out 

 and brought her spider to this new hiding-place. The 

 head went in easily, but it took a great deal of tugging 

 to get the rest to follow. At last both spider and wasp 

 were out of sight, and everything remained quiet for 

 so long that we began to think that this time we were 

 really to see the final act in the play. But no; when 

 the little wasp came creeping out it was only to start 

 off on another extended tour, in which we did not at- 

 tempt to follow her. She doubtless selected another 

 halting-place, for when she returned it was to try to 

 get the spider out of the hole by pulling at one of its 

 hind legs. The task, however, was not an easy one. She 

 exerted all her strength, so that we expected to see the 

 victim torn to pieces before our eyes, and still it did 

 not come. At last she seemed to realize that there 

 was more than one way to accomplish her end, and 

 turned her attention to cutting away the earth to make 



227 



