234 
NATURE’S CRAFTSMEN 
decorated the boat crumbled in their grasp. But 
if they expected to get the caddis worm then they 
were mistaken. Too well and carefully had his 
house been woven and cemented; it would take 
yet more vigorous pressure, and the villains 
braced themselves and prepared to squeeze with 
might and main. 
Then a joyful thing happened; for, all sud¬ 
denly, as the pirates strained with down-bent 
heads, the watchers saw the house door open a 
crack, and then the caddis worm slipped between 
the feet of the would-be murderers and sank out 
of sight amid the reeds. Nor were the rascals 
aware of the little tenant’s escape! They contin¬ 
ued to press and tear until the walls at length 
gave way, and they found to their chagrin that 
the boat was empty. 
“ Ha!” scoffed Max, “ you boneheads! Served 
you right; next time you want a lunch, try to 
earn it honestly,” and he tossed a stone sharply 
into their midst, scattering the villains instantly, 
to the disgust of Tommy, who had, of course, 
hoped to obtain a specimen. 
“ There are around four hundred species of the 
water beetle clan in our rivers and ponds,” Uncle 
John informed. “All of them are past masters 
in the art of swimming and diving and are pirati¬ 
cal to a degree, being fitted with strong mandibles 
which are supplied with a suction apparatus, thus 
