83 



less little grubs but full grown ants just as you 

 are yourself." 



" Then I was once a helpless little grub ! " said 

 Nipper wonderingly. 



" Yes, and I too, and every one of the ants you 

 see about us. But to go on," said Riddler. " The 

 slave-catching expedition was not to start until after- 

 noon, and it was only a short time before it was 

 ready to go that I and a score or so of other black 

 ants were told that we were to accompany it to 

 carry home the cocoons that were captured. 



" It was hard enough to be ordered out for such 



Ants on the March 



a duty I can tell you ; — to go with the red ants 

 against ants of our own kind. 



" But, after all, the red ants were not going to 

 hurt them, and the cocoons they captured would be 

 well taken care of. 



" At any rate I knew I had no choice in the 

 matter, so about the middle of the afternoon when 



