AN ARGUMENT WITH A MOSQUITO 



123 



and cold,' only I am bitten when I go 

 wrong. Let's see what they want." 

 So saying, I rose and tried the dif- 

 ferent points of the compass. A few 

 minutes showed that I was charged up- 

 on whenever I tried to go anywhere 

 except toward Mount 

 Marcy. Having 

 made sure of this, I 

 walked briskly up the 

 side of the mountain, 

 and during my prog- 

 ress was not molest- 

 ed. Once or twice I 

 tested the question by 

 attempting to turn 

 about or to remain 

 still. In every case 

 there could be no 

 doubt that I was be- 

 ing driven up the 

 mountain. 



"It is most re- 

 markable," I said to 

 myself ; "but these 

 little fellows have 

 made up their minds 

 to climb this moun- 

 tain. I have heard 

 of dogs bringing aid 

 to lost travelers, and 

 even of cats that 

 have shown the same 

 intelligence ; but it 

 isn't likely that mos- 

 quitoes would try to 

 rescue lost children 

 or travelers." Then 

 a sudden thought 

 came to me : "Per- 

 haps they have a 

 grand banquet u p 

 the hill, and I am be- 

 ing driven there to be 

 remorselessly devoured alive." 



As this notion came into my head, 

 I stopped suddenly. At once a dozen 

 of the creatures dashed upon me ; and, 

 to my wonder, I saw they were much 

 larger than they had been, being near- 

 ly an inch long. They were not moose- 

 flies, which I knew very well, but plain 

 mosquitoes. To prevent unpleasant re- 



sults, I resumed my journey uphill; 

 whereupon the dozen big fellows re- 

 sumed their stations, six on a side, 

 not far from my head. 



When I had gone a rod or two far- 

 ther, these big fellows were 1 elieved 

 by others still larger; 

 and you may believe 

 that I didn't care 

 to pause again. 

 After a few more 

 rods, the size of 

 these escorting 

 guards again in- 

 creased ; and so it 

 kept on until I had 

 reached the top of 

 the mountain, and the 

 mosquitoes had be- 

 come as large a s 

 good-sized hawks. 



When I was at the 

 top I came to a halt. 

 "Where now?" I 

 asked my captors. At 

 once a distinguished- 

 looking mosquito flew 

 toward me, saluted 

 me by raising his 

 foreleg politely and 

 sang out : 



"You will be seat- 

 ed please, until her 

 Majesty arrives. You 

 will not be molested 

 so long as you remain 

 quiet, but we have 

 orders to attack you 

 at the first attempt to 

 escape." 



" I understand," 

 I replied, trying to 

 keep cool. 



The Captain re- 

 turned to her station, and we conversed 

 no more. I was too amazed to talk. 

 When I had started to climb the moun- 

 tain, it was a mere fantastic idea of 

 mine that led me to humor the mos- 

 quitoes. I had not really believed they 

 were trying to influence my actions ; 

 and yet by that foolish yielding to my 

 fancy I was now fairly in their power. 



Thicker than ever 



