uched bottom,--something that moved and heaved under them, and then
passed quickly away, letting me still farther down!

"What could it be? Was it the great swarm of living ants that I pressed
upon: I did not think it was. It did not _feel like them_. It seemed
to be something bulky and strong, for it held up my whole weight for a
moment or two, before it slipped from under me.

"Whatever it was, it frightened me very considerably; and I did not
leave my feet in its company for five seconds time. No: the hottest
furnace would scarce have scorched them during the time they remained
inside the dark dome. In five seconds they were on the walls again--on
the broken edges, where I had mounted up, and where I now stood quite
speechless with surprise!

"What next? I could keep the ants off no longer. I gazed down the dark
cavity; they were swarming up that way in thick crowds. I could brush
them down no more.

"My eyes at this moment chanced to wander to the bull. He was standing
at three or four paces distance from the base of the hill. He was
standing sideways with his head turned to it, and regarding it with a
wild look. His attitude was entirely changed, and so, I thought, was
the expression of his eye. He looked as if he had just run off to his
new position, and was ready to make a second start. He looked as if
something had also terrified _him_!

"Something evidently had; for, in another moment, he uttered a sharp
rout, galloped several paces farther out, wheeled again, halted, and
stood gazing as before!

"What could it mean? Was it the breaking through of the roof and my
sudden descent that had frightened him?

"At first I thought so, but I observed that he did not look upward to
the top. His gaze seemed bent on some object near the base of the
hill--though from where I stood I could see nothing there to frighten
him.

"I had not time to reflect what it could be, before the bull uttered a
fresh snort; and, raising his tail high into the air, struck off at full
gallop over the plain!

"Rejoiced at seeing this, I thought no more of what had relieved me of
his company. It must have been my curious fall, I concluded; but no
matter now that the brute was gone. So seizing hold of my gun, I
prepared to descend from the elevated position, of which I was
thoroughly tired.

"Just as I had got half down the side, I chanced to look below; and
there was the object that terrified the old bull. No wonde