their living bodies precisely as this was of the bodies of the
Cubes?

How had Beebe * phrased it--"the home, the nest, the hearth, the nursery,
the bridal suite, the kitchen, the bed and board of the army ants."
Built of and occupied by those blind and dead and savage little insects
which by the guidance of smell alone carried on the most intricate
operations, the most complex activities. Nothing here was stranger than
that, I reflected--if once one could rid the mind of the paralyzing
influence of the shapes of the Metal Things. Whence came the stimuli
that moved THEM, the stimuli to which THEY reacted?

* William Beebe, Atlantic Monthly, October, 1919.

Well then--whence and how came the orders to which the ANTS responded;
that bade them open THIS corridor in their nest, close THAT, form this
chamber, fill that one? Was one more mysterious than the other?

Breaking into my current of thoughts came consciousness that I was
moving with increased speed; that my body was fast growing lighter.

Simultaneously with this recognition I felt myself lifted from the
floor of the corridor and levitated with considerable rapidity forward;
looking down I saw that floor several feet below me. Drake's arm wound
itself around my shoulder.

"Closing up behind us," he muttered. "They're putting us--out."

It was, indeed, as though the passageway had wearied of our deliberate
progress. Had decided to--give us a lift. Rearward it was shutting. I
noted with interest how accurately this motion kept pace with our own
speed, and how fluidly the walls seemed to run together.

Our movement became accelerated. It was as though we floated buoyantly,
weightless, upon some swift stream. The sensation was curiously
pleasant, languorous--what was that word Ruth had used?--ELEMENTAL--and
free. The supporting force seemed to flow equally from walls and
floor; to reach down to us from the roof. It was slumberously even, and
effortless. I saw that in advance of us the living corridor was opening
even as behind us it was closing.

All around us the little eye points twinkled and--laughed.

There was no danger here--there could be none. Deeper and deeper dropped
my mind into the depths of that alien tranquillity. Faster and faster we
floated--onward.

Abruptly, ahead of us shone a blaze of daylight. We passed into it. The
force holding us withdrew its grip; I felt solidity beneath my feet;
stood and leaned back against a smooth wall.