78 ANTS AND CHILDREN OF THE GARDEN 



apple seed away from yon, hulled it, gave it back, placed 

 you on the ground, and you toted it on home. I guess I'll 

 make you one of my pets. 



ANT. Pretty good friends, after all, aren't we? 



ALBERT. When I threw some grass seed on your trail, 

 you were disturbed about as much as when I drew my 

 finger across it. 



ANT. And for the same reason you had disturbed the 

 trail odor. 



ALBERT. I should think you Avould carry home many 

 seeds that have no kernels in them make a long trip for 

 nothing. 



ANT. We generally bite a seed to see if it is any good 

 before we carry it home. But sometimes we make mis- 

 takes. 



CECIL. I suppose that ants can tell by the weight and 

 size, too. 



ALBERT. One day several hundred of you started for 

 the seed field, but why did you all change your minds and 

 go back home? 



ANT. Why ask? You know that cats, dogs, chickens, 

 birds, rabbits, horses, cows and children pay not the least 

 attention to where they are stepping. 



DOROTHY. Why, I step around ants, when I see them. 



ALBERT. I can't understand why you lose your trail 

 when I draw my finger across it. Tell me again. 



ANT. We leave an odor along the runway to mark it. 

 Doesn't man mark his trail when he lays it out through 

 the forest? Your finger removes the odor from a section 

 and we are bothered for a time, of course. But the rough 

 sides and smooth tracks of old trails also help to guide us. 



ALBERT. One of your ants was alone out in the bean 



