"You fly?" said old Mr. Thornbury, putting on his spectacles to look at
him.
"I hope to, some day," said Arthur.
Here flying was discussed at length, and Mrs. Thornbury delivered an
opinion which was almost a speech to the effect that it would be quite
necessary in time of war, and in England we were terribly behind-hand.
"If I were a young fellow," she concluded, "I should certainly qualify."
It was odd to look at the little elderly lady, in her grey coat and
skirt, with a sandwich in her hand, her eyes lighting up with zeal
as she imagined herself a young man in an aeroplane. For some reason,
however, the talk did not run easily after this, and all they said was
about drink and salt and the view. Suddenly Miss Allan, who was
seated with her back to the ruined wall, put down her sandwich,
picked something off her neck, and remarked, "I'm covered with little
creatures." It was true, and the discovery was very welcome. The ants
were pouring down a glacier of loose earth heaped between the stones of
the ruin--large brown ants with polished bodies. She held out one on the
back of her hand for Helen to look at.
"Suppose they sting?" said Helen.
"They will not sting, but they may infest the victuals," said Miss
Allan, and measures were taken at once to divert the ants from their
course. At Hewet's suggestion it was decided to adopt the methods of
modern warfare against an invading army.
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