faster than
when guided by reins; but we found that, as we neared the foot of the
hill, the animals manifested considerable reluctance to proceeding
farther, and that some energy was required to prevent their retracing
their steps up the ascent.

At length, however, we readied even ground, and again mounted our
restive animals, and led by the inspector, approached a mound of earth,
about fifteen or twenty feet high, and eight or ten feet in
circumference. It was in the form of a pyramid, and resembled the work
of man more than nature, and I turned to the inspector for an
explanation.

"What motive could a man have for forming earth in that shape?" I asked.

"That was never built by human beings, but by insects, more industrious
than the lords of creation. That pyramid of earth was once the home of
millions of black ants, and by them alone was it raised."

I had heard of the wonderful industry of the ants of Australia, but this
was the first time that I ever saw their works. I felt curious to
examine one of their homes, and touched my horse for the purpose of
riding nearer. To my surprise the animal refused to move in the
direction that I wished, and the more I urged, the less inclined he was
to obey. I was not disposed to give up the contest, and was making
preparations to continue with more vigor, when Mr. Brown stopped me.

"It's useless," he said, "to try and get the horses nearer the pyramid.
They scent danger before we are aware of its presence. If you wish to
inspect the place you must dismount."

"But why should the animals be afraid of ants?" Fred asked.

"They are not afraid of ants," replied the inspector, dryly, "but they
are afraid of snakes."

"But we can see no snakes, although you told us that their den was near
the foot of the mountain."

"What does that look like?" asked Mr. Brown, pointing to a dark object
that was slowly creeping from an opening in the pyramid.

We saw at once that the object was a snake, such as we had encountered
at the store, and we watched his languid movements with some curiosity.
The reptile had no sooner drawn his body from the mound than another
snake of the same species poked his head out, and after surveying us for
a few seconds with an appearance of considerable curiosity, he, too,
quitted the pyramid, and stretched his long body in the hot sand, as
though it was grateful to his slimy skin.

Another and another followed in slow succession, until we counted no