CHAPTER IV 



THE COWS 



Till'] next day Kmile, when only half awake, be- 

 gan to think of the ants' cows. "We must beg 

 uncle/' said he to Jules, "to tell us the rest of his 

 story this morning. ' ' 



No sooner said than done: they went to look for 

 their uncle. 



"Aha !" cried he upon hearing their request, "the 

 ants' cows are interesting you. I will do better than 

 tell you about them, I will show them to you. First 

 of all call Claire." 



( 'laire came in haste. Their uncle took them un- 

 der the elder bush in the garden, and this is what 

 they saw: 



The bush is white with flowers. Bees, flies, bee- 

 tles, butterflies, fly from one flower to another with a 

 drowsy murmur. On the trunk of the elder, amongst 

 the ridges of the bark, numbers of ants are crawling, 

 some ascending, some descending. Those ascending 

 are the more eager. They sometimes stop the others 

 on the way and appear to consult them as to what is 

 going on above. Being informed, they begin climb- 

 in ir again with even more ardor, proof that the news 

 ood. Those descending go in a leisurely manner, 

 with short steps. Willingly they halt to rest or to 

 give advice to those who consult them. One can 



1G 



