Wasps and Ants ^2 



folk thought the honey-dew fell like other dew, 

 but Joe knew better — he had read about the 

 insects which secrete it, and serve in a manner 

 as ant-cows. But that did not interest him 

 half so much as watching what the rangers 

 did — how they hunted, and when they had 

 found, went home to the nest by the best route, 

 blazing out a path for the worker-ants to fol- 

 low. 



He spent hours, propped on his elbows, 

 looking at the paths and what went on in 

 them. The paths appeared to be barely wide 

 enough for two ants to travel side by side, or 

 one to pass- another, coming or going. Usu- 

 ally the ants moved in two lines — one going 

 out light, the other coming in laden. The 

 light line always gave road to the loaded one 

 — that is to say, turned a little out, so the 

 loaded fellows could keep straight on home. 

 But there are rogues among ants as well as 

 among men. It happened sometimes that a 

 rogue-ant tried to seize on what another had 

 brought nearly home, and take it to the nest 

 as his own. The rogue did not turn out. 

 Instead he stood square in the passway, 

 snatched at the load as it came against his 

 head, then made to turn and run back. If 

 he surprised the other ant, broke his hold, and 

 got the booty, he did turn and run. Other- 

 wise there was a very pretty fisticuff. The 



