Now the ants are a curious people and go looking for things that are new and wonderful as they walk abroad, so they have much to tell worth hearing after a journey.

The little traveller was young and had no fear, so he left the road and went down to the pit and peeped over the side of it.
'What in the world is the meaning of this queer place ?' he asked himself as he ran around the rim.

In a moment he had stepped over and the soft sand began to cave and slide beneath him.

Quick as a flash the big lion-beetle rose up in the centre of the pit and began to reach for him.

Then his legs flew in the caving sand and the young ant struck his blades in it to hold the little he could gain.