The Hunting Wasps 



me that the direction is still the same and that 

 the wind is not now blowing from the north." 



" I have my doubts also. Then what shall 

 we do?" 



"What shall we do? That's the diffi- 

 culty! But look here: if the wind has not 

 changed, we ought to be wetter on the left, 

 because we got the rain on that side until 

 we lost our bearings. If it has changed, we 

 must be more or less equally wet all over. 

 Let us feel ourselves and decide. Will that 

 do?" 



" Yes." 



" And suppose I'm wrong? " 



".You're not wrong." 



The matter was explained to our compan- 

 ions in a few words. All felt themselves, 

 not outside, which would not have been 

 enough, but right inside their underclothing, 

 and it was with unspeakable relief that I 

 heard them unanimously declare their left 

 side to be much wetter than the right. The 

 wind had not changed. All was well; and 

 we determined to go towards the rain. The 

 chain was formed once more, with myself at 

 the head and Verlot in the rear, so as to leave 

 no stragglers behind. Before starting, I 

 asked my friend, for the last time : 

 226 



