128 CONVERSATIONS ON 



beats upon the building, and makes a sort of 

 hissing noise. As soon as that is done you may 

 hear a loud hiss from all the labourers, both on 

 the outside of the wall and from the inside of 

 the city, and then the labourers run faster, and 

 work as quick again. If you attack the nest 

 again, away run all the labourers as fast as 

 their legs will carry them, and out pour the 

 soldiers as before ; and the same thing is 

 always seen upon every attack, of soldiers 

 to fight and labourers to work." 



"Well, Uncle Philip, this is a very strange 

 story; much more interesting than any we 

 have yet heard." 



" I thought it would please you, boys ; but 

 there are still stranger things among animals, 

 and perhaps you will say so when you know 

 more. 



" But it is now time to return home ; so take 

 in the kite and let us be going." 



