“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 less than twenty black snakes, none of them less than thirteen feet long, and from ten to fifteen inches in circumference.  They appeared to be as playful as puppies, and rolled over and over each other in their gambols; but at the least movement on our part their sport ceased, and they seemed to form themselves in hostile array as though to repel an attack.  Then their mouths opened and their huge fangs were exposed, glistening in the sun, as though anxious to try their strength upon our bodies.

It was with some difficulty that we could get our horses to face the monsters, and even with all our exertions the animals would suddenly start, as though anxious to quit so loathsome a sight.

“Do ants and snakes live peaceably together in Australia?” I asked of the inspector.