t, he did not attack it until
Twist was fairly over his onset. This proved to be a fatal blunder.

However, when he once began work, he pushed it vigorously enough. He
dispersed the sentinels hither and thither, broke down their tent and
burst into the midst of the encampment. He struck, pushed and bit to the
right and left, and soon had laid a broad swath of destruction along his
path. In the midst of this high success he came upon the scattered
contents of a bumble-bee's nest, which the Pixies had been pillaging. It
was a most unlucky circumstance, for all the Slymousie tribe are fond of
bee-bread and honey, and Biggy was hungry. He stopped, smelled the bee
combs, turned over a few cells with his nose and then began to nibble.

"Just one little taste," he said, "and then I'll go on with my duty."
Ah, Biggy Slymousie, take care! Your enemies are all around you. This is
the time for duty, not for delicacies. Touch not, taste not, handle not!
The temptation may prove too strong for you!

But Biggy silenced the voice of his better judgment, and nibbled away.
Now, Slymousies are always dainty and deliberate in their way of eating,
which, as a rule, is quite proper and nice. But when one is in the midst
of a hard and perilous battle, daintiness cannot safely be indulged.
Spite the Spy arrived on the scene just as Biggy had fairly settled down
to enjoy a hearty meal. With a curse of thorough contempt hurled at the
silly glutton, the Pixie chief began his preparations for revenge. He
sent for engineers Tegenaria and Agalena of the Tubeweaver legion, and
ordered out Theridion and his pioneers. The Pixies set to work with a
will, and ere Biggy had finished his meal had completely surrounded him
with a thick, strong and high wall of web work. While Biggy nibbled,
nibbled, the Pixies spun and wove around him their fatal snares. Poor
Biggy!

[Illustration: FIG. 133.--"One of Tegenaria's Thick Snares."]

At last all was ready. The Theridion pioneers were sent aloft among the
overhanging grasses, the Tubeweavers went to their holes, and those in
front of Slymousie provided themselves with silken blankets. Then Spite
ordered a company of vaulters, runners and side-goers to the bushes
behind Biggy. They moved to their places noiselessly, and awaited the
order to assault. It came at last.

[Illustration: FIG. 134.--"Wrapped up as Tightly as a Captive
Grasshopper Swathed by a Big Garden Spider."]

"Charge!" shouted Spite. Stridul