know that they will lose their crops to a
certainty, and hence dread a visitation of locusts as they would an
earthquake, or some other great calamity."

"We can well understand their feelings upon such an occasion," remarked
Hendrik, with a significant look.

"The flying locusts," continued Hans, "seem less to follow a particular
direction than their larvae. The former seem to be guided by the wind.
Frequently this carries them all into the sea, where they perish in vast
numbers. On some parts of the coast their dead bodies have been found
washed back to land in quantities incredible. At one place the sea threw
them upon the beach, until they lay piled up in a ridge four feet in
height, and fifty miles in length! It has been asserted by several
well-known travellers that the effluvium from this mass tainted the air
to such an extent that it was perceived one hundred and fifty miles
inland!"

"Heigh!" exclaimed little Jan. "I didn't think anybody had so good a
nose."

At little Jan's remark there was a general laugh. Von Bloom did not join
in their merriment. He was in too serious a mood just then.

"Papa," inquired little Trueey, perceiving that her father did not laugh,
and thinking to draw him into the conversation,--"Papa! were these the
kind of locusts eaten by John the Baptist when in the desert? His food,
the Bible says, was 'locusts and wild honey.'"

"I believe these are the same," replied the father.

"I think, papa," modestly rejoined Hans, "they are not exactly the same,
but a kindred species. The locust of Scripture was the true _Gryllus
migratorius_, and different from those of South Africa, though very
similar in its habits. But," continued he, "some writers dispute that
point altogether. The Abyssinians say that it was beans of the
locust-tree, and not insects, that were the food of St. John."

"What is your own opinion, Hans?" inquired Hendrik, who had a great
belief in his brother's book-knowledge.

"Why, I think," replied Hans, "there need be no question about it. It is
only torturing the meaning of a word to suppose that St. John ate the
locust fruit, and not the insect. I am decidedly of opinion that the
latter is meant in Scripture; and what makes me think so is, that these
two kinds of food, 'locusts and wild honey,' are often coupled together,
as forming at the present time the subsistence of many tribes who are
denizens of the desert. Besides, we have good evidence that both were
used