the large red ants. Why should they be our mis- 

 tresses, and why must we do all the work for 

 them ? " 



Riddler sat silently moving her antennae for a 

 while, and when she spoke at last it was in a sad, 

 low voice. 



" I will tell you first how you came here," she 

 said, "and then you will understand how it is with 

 us, and why we never can hope to free ourselves 

 from our slavery. 



"It was about five or six weeks ago that I awoke 

 one morning to find all the nest in an unusual stir 

 and bustle. Slave ants were running up and down, 

 and even our mistresses were bestirring themselves. 



" I knew immediately what was going on. There 

 was to be a slave-making expedition that day, and 

 they were getting ready for it. 



" For some time we had been short of slaves in 

 the nest, and for that reason there had been trouble 

 in getting the work done as it should be. Now 

 our mistresses had made up their minds that they 

 must supply themselves with fresh slaves. 



" This could be done only by carrying off the 

 eggs or larvae or cocoons from the nests of black 

 ants. You see if they carried off the black ants 



Pyle's Humble Friends. — 6. 



