By-and-by, Jack saw an ant going along, when he chanced to come across another hill. Immediately he began to smell about this way and that――but an ant upon the strange hill saw him. In he went, at a hole, and in two seconds he sallied forth, with five or six other fellows in his rear. They darted forward, heels over head, toward the intruder, the strange ant. He had become apprized of the danger, and was galloping back toward his hill, as fast as his legs could carry him. It was a glorious sight, and Jack looked on, with as much interest as if it had been a fox-chase. The little red ant that had stirred up this affray, went straight ahead, and pretty soon came to a ball of earth as big as a walnut. Deeming it better to climb over than to go round it, he began to mount, when the leader among the pursuers, a large black fellow, stuck his teeth into his rump! Red turned round, and grappled; both fell backward, and rolled upon the earth! Such a scratching and biting! At last little Red escaped――having given Black a severe wound. The others now came up, and the chase was resumed. By-and-by the party approached Red’s home. Here he met some of his friends. They carried the alarm to the hill. In a few seconds, at least fifty fellows, all red, sallied forth. “I guess these are the soldiers,” says Jack――and so they were, sure enough. They took the direction toward the party that had chased our little hero, Red. Black had now recovered, and was at their head. He mounted a small stone to reconnoitre and see the force of the enemy. He perceived that the force was too great, and giving the alarm to his party, they all scampered back, jumping, galloping and tumbling, one after another. The army of the Reds pursued, and finally approached the city of the Blacks, close upon the heels of the ants that had insulted and abused their fellow-citizen. The blacks were soon made aware of the danger that threatened them. The fellows that had been out on the scout, thumped on the hill, and forty or fifty stout fellows rushed forth. They marched toward the regiment of Reds, and now a fierce battle ensued. It was claw to claw――teeth to teeth. They pulled and hauled――bit and scratched; and after a few minutes, the battle was over. One large, black ant was killed. He was cut into four pieces, and the Reds carried him home, no doubt for a feast. While Jack was busy in observing and investigating these things, he heard his mother’s call. Though he had been engaged at least four hours in studying into these things, he was not weary, and would gladly have staid longer; but being an obedient and good boy, he forthwith went to his mother, and found his dinner ready. It was one advantage of his morning exercise, that the fresh air had given him a good appetite. We shall pursue the story in our next. [Illustration] “Pray, grandfather, read me a story. Grandfather, why don’t you speak to me? Gran’ther, gran’ther! Pray speak to Bell!” “Well, child, what do you want?”