be overheard they talked on for some time, as
midshipmen are accustomed to do under similar circumstances, then first
one and then the other began to feel drowsy, and lying down forgot all
sublunary matters.

Tom had not, however, been long asleep before he dreamed that he was
attacked by a host of stag-beetles, assailing every part of his body,
and that though he slashed at them with his cutlass they came on in
greater numbers than ever, till he felt ready to turn tail and bolt.
Suddenly he awoke, and finding that the sensation he had experienced in
his dreams were a dreadful reality, began to jump and beat himself
furiously. His companions, just then, started up from the same cause,
and also began jumping, twisting, turning, and striking their bodies and
legs with their hands as if they had gone mad.

"I'll be eaten up entirely if I don't get rid of these beasts,"
exclaimed Paddy Desmond, jumping and beating himself more violently than
before.

Their cries awoke their nearest neighbours, while the sentries rushed
forward, expecting to find that a band of Indians had secretly
introduced themselves into the camp.

Jack and Terence were really alarmed, believing that the youngsters had
been bitten by a snake, or attacked by another puma. Nothing, however,
could be found on them till some brands brought from the fire threw a
light on the subject, when it was discovered that they had chosen the
neighbourhood of a nest of ants, of a species addicted to nocturnal
rambles.

When they first lay down the ants were quiet in their abode, and
remained so till their usual time for sallying forth in search of prey.

The first objects they had met with were the bodies of the three
midshipmen, on whom they would have undoubtedly feasted till they had
consumed them to their bones, had not their sharp pincers aroused their
victims.

The midshipmen found it no easy job to rid themselves of the fearful
little pests, even with the assistance of their friends, and they had
literally to strip off their clothes, and capture each creature singly,
and throw it into the fire, before they were got rid of.

One of the surgeons, taking compassion on them, produced some ointment,
which allayed the irritation from which they were suffering.

They were not the only people whom the ants had attacked, and
complaints, piteous and loud, came from all parts of the camp, of the
attacks made by the fiery little pests. Many of the men, however,