"No!" as if he were replying to some contradiction, "No, this ant-hill has not been long abandoned." "Who says to the contrary, Mr.Benedict ?" said Dick Sand.

"Recently or not, the important thing for us is that the termites have left it, because we have to take their place." "The important thing," replied Cousin Benedict, "will be to know why they have left it.

Yesterday--this morning, perhaps--these sagacious newroptera were still here, because, see these liquid juices; and this evening----" "Well, what do you conclude, Mr.Benedict ?" asked Dick Sand.
"That a secret presentiment has caused them to abandon the cone.

Not only have all the termites left their cells, but they have taken care to carry away the young larvae, of which I cannot find one.

Well, I repeat that all this was not done without a motive, and that these sagacious insects foresaw some near danger." "They foresaw that we were going to invade their dwelling," replied Hercules, laughing.
"Indeed!" replied Cousin Benedict, whom this answer sensibly shocked.
"You think yourself so strong that you would be dangerous to these courageous insects?
A few thousand of these newroptera would quickly reduce you to a skeleton if they found you dead on the road." "Dead, certainly," replied Hercules, who would not give up; "but, living, I could crush masses of them." "You might crush a hundred thousand, five hundred thousand, a million," replied Cousin Benedict, with animation, "but not a thousand millions; and a thousand millions would devour you, living or dead, to the last morsel." During this discussion, which was less trifling than might be supposed, Dick Sand reflected on the observations made by Cousin Benedict.