They saw it also by the lantern's light, which reddened and lost a part of its brightness.
One foot above the first hole, Dick Sand began at once to pierce a second by the same process.

If the experiment failed, the water would rise still higher inside the cone--but that risk must be run.
While Dick Sand was working his auger, they heard Cousin Benedict cry out, suddenly: "Mercy! look--look--look why!" Hercules raised his lantern and threw its light on Cousin Benedict, whose face expressed the most perfect satisfaction.
"Yes," repeated he, "look why those intelligent termites have abandoned the ant-hill! They had felt the inundation beforehand.

Ah! instinct, my friends, instinct.

The termites are wiser than we are, much wiser." And that was all the moral Cousin Benedict drew from the situation.
At that moment Dick Sand drew out the ramrod, which had penetrated the wall.

A hissing was produced.