42 Next to the Ground 



others, and some wasps ever so much bigger 

 and stronger than their fellows. He could not 

 in the least understand how anything so strong- 

 winged, savage and cunning as a wasp ever 

 let itself be trapped and killed in a gauzy 

 spider-web. 



The fruit wasps did not fight among them- 

 selves — perhaps there were not enough of 

 them, but they did fight the red fellows to a 

 standstill whenever the reds came whirring 

 arrogantly about through fruit-wasp territory. 

 Then it was not a case of the battle to the 

 strong. The red wasps were unquestionably 

 stronger, and had more venomous stings. But 

 in fighting the fruit wasps turned upon their 

 backs, and bit and stung with such judgment 

 they rarely failed to be victorious. There was 

 this to be said for them — they never stung 

 unprovoked. If you had the nerve not to 

 flinch, one of them might crawl up and down 

 a bare arm, yet fly away harmless with a merry 

 buzzing of wings. 



That is but another way of saying they are 

 fine gentlemen on wings — much the finest, 

 Joe thought, of all that lived on the piazza- 

 roof. Besides honey and fruit-juices they fed 

 on caterpillars, and occasionally on spiders. 

 When the caterpillar was very big, maybe 

 three times as heavy as its captor, the wasp 

 brought it home by stages, flying a little way 



