NERVE SPECIALISTS 
289 
brought up, and all went into a little heap beside 
the opening. Then, at the end of an hour, Mrs. 
Hairy came out, and began a careful cleaning of 
her person. Evidently the burrow was done. 
“Will she be off now after meat? ” Max mur¬ 
mured, excitedly. 
“ Wait! ” motioned Uncle John. And almost 
as he spoke, the wasp went over to the rubbish 
heap and began a painstaking sorting of the peb¬ 
bles. What was she after? The query was an¬ 
swered almost immediately, for Mrs. Hairy rose 
with a bit of stone, which she carried to her well, 
fitting it in the opening like a slab. Moreover, 
it was seen that she must have a very keen eye; 
for the tiny barricade fitted as though exactly 
made for that particular purpose. 
“Eureka!” whispered Alice softly. And 
with one accord they all rose quietly, ready to 
follow wherever the quest for game should lead 
them. 
This was not far. After a few well-directed 
kicks which sent the remainder of the rubbish 
heap scattering to the four winds, the wasp be¬ 
gan to run here and there in the shrubbery, tap¬ 
ping the earth with her bow-like antennae, and 
then pausing to listen intently. 
“ She is on the trail of what she considers the 
most delectable morsel known to the insect world 
—a species of caterpillar called the gray worm,” 
