They marched rapidly toward a piece of turf,
kept in order by their sergeants, whom I saw on the flanks and
who would not permit any one to straggle.
Suddenly the mass seemed to sink and disappear. There was no sign
of ant-hills in the turf; but after a while I detected an almost
imperceptible orifice, through which we saw them vanish in less
time than it takes to write these words. I supposed that probably
this was the entrance to their own home; but in less than a
minute they showed me that I was mistaken. Out they thronged,
each carrying a young captive in its mandibles.
From the short time they had taken, it was evident that they had
a previous knowledge of the place, and knew where the infant
blacks were kept. Perhaps it was no+ their first journey. The
black ants whose home had been invaded sallied out in
considerable numbers. They did not attempt to fight. They seemed
frightened and stunned. They endeavored only to delay the red
ants by clinging to them. A red ant was thus stopped; but another
red one, who was free, relieved him of his burden, and thereupon
the black ant relaxed his grasp.
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