CHAPTER VI 



n n 



THE WILY DERVISH 



THERE are ant-hills everywhere, large or 

 small," observed Jules. "Even in the gar- 

 den I could have counted a dozen. From some the 

 ants are so numerous they blacken the road when 

 they come out. It 

 must take a great 

 many plant-lice to 

 nourish all that little 

 colony." 



"Numerous though 

 they be," his uncle 

 assured him, * * they 

 will never lack cows, 

 as plant-lice are still 

 more numerous. 



m . Chess-board with pieces in position 



1 here an so many 



that they often seriously menace our harvests. The 

 n ii>< Table louse declares war against us. To under- 

 stand it, listen to this story : 



"There was once a king of India who was much 

 bored. To entertain him, a dervish invented the 

 irame of chess. You do not know this game. Well, 

 <>n a board swn<'tlmir likr a < li< ( korboard two adver- 

 saries range, in battlr array, <>nr white, the other 





