89 



queen. No one noticed her and she shpped quietly 

 away. 



The second time Nipper was helping one of the 

 other outside workers to drag a dead beetle. 



Comino; around a bunch of erasses near the 

 opening into the nest Nipper saw two red ants there 

 in the doorway. One of them Nipper knew 

 immediately to be one of the royal guard. The 

 other was larger and finer, and Nipper recognized 

 her as a queen. 



The royal guard had hold of her and was 

 drawing her gently but firmly down into the nest 

 again. The queen was holding back, but she was 



The Royal Guard and the Queen 



not really struggling. Presently she saw the two 

 little slave ants with the beetle and then she 

 stopped short and looked at them. After a moment 

 she spoke. "You are slaves, aren't you?" she 

 asked. 



