on candy."

"Now I know that Uncle Ben is funning," cried Willie, gleefully; "for he
has got those wrinkles about his eyes, and he never has them except when
he's funning."

"What kind of animals are they, I would like to know?" asked Harry, who
was determined to put his learned uncle to the test. "I never came
across any of their houses, I know."

"Indeed you have, then. I have seen you, more than once, shut their
front doors for them, without asking leave or license."

Uncle Ben, as he spoke, had leaned over to the ground. He now rose, with
a little black travelling speck on his finger.

"Here is one of them," he said, "out for an airing."

"That!" cried Harry, contemptuously. "Why, that's only an ant. I said
animals. I didn't say ants."

"Oho! Is that it? An ant is not an animal, then?"

"I guess not," broke in Willie, decidedly. "Animals eat and drink, and
walk and run, and--and climb trees, and whistle, and bark. Who ever
heard an ant bark?"

"Or a cow?" rejoined his uncle. "As for running, I think this little
fellow can run fast enough. And he eats, too. And he can climb trees. I
don't say that he can whistle, but neither can a frog. I have no doubt
that our ant can talk to his comrades as easily as your dog can converse
with his friends."

"But ants," said Harry, doubtfully. "Don't you forget, Uncle Ben, you
said they built houses and barns, and milked cows, and made roads and
bridges, and had farms, and kept soldiers and workers?--I forget the
rest. Yes, you said some of them lived on candy; and that is the
queerest of all. I'd just like you to tell me what kind of candy it is,
and how they make it; and I'd like to see one of their houses."

"Their houses are all built under-ground," replied Uncle Ben. "There are
too many boys about, with clumsy feet, for them to build their delicate
palaces above-ground. But if you were only to open an ant-hill, and
trace out all its entries and passages, and its rooms and granaries, and
its stairways and its nurseries, you might have more respect for these
little creatures. If you want to see a larger ant-house, you will have
to go to Africa. There the white ants build huge houses twelve feet
high, and firm enough for a dozen men to stand on."

"And full of rooms," began Harry, but he was interrupted by his eager
little brother, whose curiosity ran in another direction.

"Just tell us 'bout the candy, Uncle Ben," he demanded. "I don't care
nothing 'bout the hou