82 ANTS AND CHILDREN OF THE GARDEN 



ANT. Yes, if it touch the trail with its feelers use 

 contact-odor. 



DOROTHY. I counted 1,035 of your ants on the trail 

 yesterday. We never counted over 950 before. 



ANT. You may count more than that some day. Ours 

 is now a small colony. 



KENNETH. Look ! This drove of ants are going home 

 because we were walking around in front of them. 



CECIL. The trail is now sixty feet long and crosses the 

 alley for the first time. Food must be getting scarce. 



ALBERT. Once, when nearly all our ants were out on 

 the trail, they had to cross a dangerous footpath. For 

 some reason they left a hundred guards at the crossing. 



FLORENCE. Ha, ha, ha ! That blurt of wind nearly 

 blew you off the yard. I don't see why you want these 

 loose earth pellets lying around your door. You can't hold 

 onto them when the wind blows like you can to the hard 

 ground of the trail. 



ANT. Ants can't work much when the wind blows hard. 



FLORENCE. Strange how an ant will generally take a 

 straight course over clods and stones, instead of going 

 around them. What would you think of me if I would go 

 over a house instead of going around it? 



DOROTHY. Well, ours are now going eighty feet for 

 seed. A passing auto has just run over three ants in the 

 alley. 



ANT. Yes, and the paper boys, other children and 

 different animals often step on us and don't know it. Why, 

 one of you girls sat down on a trail of workers the other 

 evening. 



DOROTHY. I wouldn't blame you if you would move. 

 I suppose you will before long. Haven't you food enough 

 stored awav to last over next winter? 



