und it I received another violent pin-prick, but held on
manfully and, with an effort, forced myself to look at my prey. It was
a gigantic angry wood-ant, which hung on to my finger for all it was
worth. Considering the two things which terrify me most are ants and
centipedes, perhaps the reader will understand my perturbed state of
mind when I found myself lying beside a large ants' nest, being slowly
devoured by its inhabitants, like a fat green caterpillar. As if
propelled by a rocket I sprang up, and ran up and down the short ditch
at full speed. When fatigue had brought me to a stop I was delighted
to find that they had mostly been shaken off out of my clothes. It was
impossible to find a resting place free from ants, the whole place was
infested with them. In my efforts to avoid them I climbed to the top
of a thick pine tree, but even there my little friends were parading
along the branches. The day proved to be so hot and thundery that,
before twelve o'clock, the milk in my bottle turned solid and had to
be eaten like junket. It was with great satisfaction that I watched
the darkness setting in, for, under its protection, I was enabled to
leave the unholy spot and continue my nightly travels.

One of the things which had troubled me considerably when planning my
escape was how to reset my watch should it go wrong. As it was, the
village clocks kept me well informed by striking the hour with much
vigour. The next day, as I lay hidden at the edge of a very young
plantation, a party of labourers with scythes assembled not far away.
After leaving their coats and, presumably, their provisions behind,
they proceeded to cut the grass along the edge of the plantation and
in a neighbouring field. As I lay "doggo" I formulated many plans for
stealing their food to replenish my store, but finally decided that
the risk was too great. Only once did I think that I had been
discovered, for, as I was passing my time in a wood by carving a
souvenir stick, something burst close beside me, making quite a
commotion and breaking many twigs. Just before the branches closed I
caught sight of a fluffy white tail. After all it was only a
frightened deer.

Late on the sixth night I was walking fast along the side of a road
which led through a forest when, stopping an instant to listen, I
heard a low voice shout about forty yards in front. Then some one
approached with a previously concealed lantern. Instantly I jumped
over the ditch, ho