Some misfortune might befall them.

I was very sad about that, though up to that time I had little or no fears for myself.

I was still in hopes the wildebeest would tire out and leave me, and then I could soon run home.
"I say, up to that time I had no very serious fears for myself-- excepting the moment or two when the bull was chasing me to the hill; but that little fright was soon over.
"But now appeared a new object of dread--another enemy, as terrible as the enraged bull--that almost caused me to sprint down upon the horns of the latter in my first moments of alarm! "I have said that the wildebeest had broken down several of the lesser turrets--the outworks of the ant-hill--and had laid open the hollow spaces within.

He had not penetrated to the main dome, but only the winding galleries and passages that perforate the outer walls.
"I noticed, that, as soon as these were broken open, a number of ants had rushed out from each.

Indeed, I had observed many of the creatures crawling outside the hill, when I first approached it, and had wondered at this--as I knew that they usually keep under ground when going and coming from their nests.