I lO EYE SPY 



moment's ceremony steps out upon his tight-rope, 

 and makes the "trial trip" across the abyss — a 

 feat which Dr. McCook, the spider speciaHst and 

 historian, has most fehcitously compared to the 

 similar trial trip of Engineer Farrington across 

 the cable of the East River Brido^e, a thrillinor 

 event which was witnessed by thousands of spec- 

 tators from sailing craft and housetops. 



Our spider has now reached the asters twenty 

 feet away, and is doubtless busying himself by 

 further securinq; the anchorage at this terminus. 

 It is quickly done, for see, he is even now far out 

 over the water on his return trip, arriving at the 

 grape leaf a moment later. His strand is now 

 three times as strong as at first, and will be many 

 times stronger before he is satisfied with it. An 

 hour later, if we care to go up-strearri half a mile 

 to the bridge, or half a mile below to the crossing 

 pole, for the sake of examining those asters across 

 the brook, we shall find our spiderling nicely set- 

 tled in a tiny little home of his own. The glis- 

 tening span is now like a tough silken thread, 

 and is moored to the head of flowers by a half- 

 dozen guy-threads in all directions, while in their 

 midst, in the " nave of his tiny wheel of lace," our 

 smart young baby rests from his labors. 



Such is the probable course which he would 

 follow, unless, perhaps, his roving spirit, thus 

 tempted, has further asserted itself, and not con- 



