93 



Nipper was one of the ants who was fortunate 

 enough to escape. Carrying a cocoon in her 

 mouth she made her way in and out among the 

 tramphng hoofs, until at last she found herself in 

 a place of safety aj; the edge of the road. 



There she waited until the drove had passed, and 

 then, still trembling with fear, she made her way 

 back to the ruins of what had once been the beau- 

 tiful and comfortable nest. Already a few strag- 

 glers were beginning to return. Nearly all of the 

 black ants carried larvee or cocoons in their 

 mouths. 



In and out among the gathering crowd, waving 

 her antennae wildly, ran one of the royal guard ; 

 the very one whom Nipper had seen drawing the 

 queen down into the nest again. 



Wildly she ran about, sometimes bumping 

 against the other ants, sometimes running over 

 their backs. 



" Oh the queen ! the queen," she wailed, " Oh 

 the queen ! the queen ! " 



"Where is the queen?" asked Nipper, as the 

 red ant ran back and forth in an aimless manner. 

 But the red ant only repeated, " Oh the queen ! 

 the queen ! " 



