Things came back to him that Gerilleau had gathered about these ants they were approaching They used poison like the poison of snakes They obeyed greater leaders even leaf-cutting ants do They were carnivorous, and where they came they stayed .

The forest was very still The water lapped incessantly against the side lantern overhead there eddied noiseless whirl of phantom moths

Gerilleau stirred darkness and sighed "What can one do ? " he murmured, and turned over and was still again

Holroyd was roused from meditations that were becoming sinister hum of mosquito

II

The next morning Holroyd learnt they were within forty kilometres of Badama, interest banks intensified up whenever an opportunity offered to examine his surroundings He no signs of human occupation whatever, save for weedy ruin of house green-stained facade long-deserted monastery at Moj, with forest tree growing out of vacant window space, and great creepers netted across its vacant portals Several flights of strange yellow butterflies with semi-transparent wings crossed the river that morning, and many alighted monitor and were killed men towards afternoon came derelict cuberta

She at first appear derelict; both her sails were set and hanging slack afternoon calm, and the figure of man sitting fore planking beside the shipped sweeps Another man appeared sleeping face downwards sort of longitudinal bridge these big canoes have waist But presently apparent, sway of her rudder way she drifted course gunboat, that something was out of order with her Gerilleau surveyed her through field-glass, and became interested queer darkness face sitting man, red-faced man , without nose-- crouching rather than sitting, longer the captain looked the less he liked to look at him, less able his glasses away

But so at last, and went little way up Holroyd Then he went back to hail the cuberta He ailed her again, and so she drove past him Santa Rosa stood out clearly as her name

As she came by and wake monitor, she pitched little, and suddenly the figure crouching an collapsed all its joints had given way His hat fell off, his head was not nice to look at, body flopped lax and rolled out of sight behind the bulwarks

"Caramba ! " cried Gerilleau, and resorted to Holroyd forthwith

Holroyd was half-way up the companion "Did dat ? " said the captain

"Dead ! " said Holroyd "Yes You'd better send boat aboard There's something wrong "

"Did you--by any chance--see his face ? "

" it like ? "

" --ugh ! -- no words " captain suddenly turned his back on Holroyd and became an active and strident commander

The gunboat came about, steamed parallel erratic course canoe, and dropped the boat with Lieutenant da Cunha and three sailors to board her Then the curiosity captain made him draw up almost alongside lieutenant got aboard, so whole Santa Rosa_, deck and hold, was visible to Holroyd

now clearly sole crew vessel was these two dead men, and though he their faces, by their outstretched hands, which were all of ragged flesh, subjected to some strange exceptional process of decay For moment his attention concentrated on those two enigmatical bundles of dirty clothes and laxly flung limbs, and then his eyes went forward to discover the open hold piled high with trunks and cases, and aft, to where the little cabin gaped inexplicably empty Then he became aware planks middle decking were dotted with moving black specks

His attention was riveted specks They were all walking in directions radiating fallen man in manner--the image came unsought mind--like the crowd dispersing from bull-fight

He became aware of Gerilleau beside him "Capo," , " your glasses ? focus as closely planks there ? "

Gerilleau made an effort, grunted, and handed him the glasses

There followed moment of scrutiny "It's ants," said the Englishman, and handed the focused field-glass back to Gerilleau

His impression was of crowd of large black ants, very like ordinary ants except for their size, and fact that larger bore sort of clothing of grey But his inspection was too brief for particulars The head of Lieutenant da Cunha appeared over the side cuberta, and brief colloquy ensued

" go aboard," said Gerilleau

The lieutenant objected boat was full of ants

" your boots," said Gerilleau

The lieutenant changed the subject "How did these en die ? " he asked

Captain Gerilleau embarked upon speculations that Holroyd follow, two men disputed with certain increasing vehemence Holroyd took up the field-glass and resumed his scrutiny, first ants and then dead man amidships

He has described these ants very particularly

they were as large as any ants he has ever seen, black and moving with steady deliberation very different mechanical fussiness common ant About one in twenty was much larger than its fellows, and with an exceptionally large head These reminded him at once master workers said to rule over the leaf-cutter ants; like them they seemed directing and co-ordinating the general movements They tilted their bodies back in manner altogether singular as made some use fore feet And he had curious fancy that too far off , that most ants of both kinds were wearing accoutrements, had things strapped about their bodies by bright white bands like white metal threads .

He put down the glasses abruptly, realising question of discipline captain subordinate had become acute

" your duty," said the captain, " aboard my instructions "

The lieutenant seemed verge of refusing The head of mulatto sailors appeared beside him

"I believe these men were killed ants," said Holroyd abruptly in English

The captain burst into rage no answer to Holroyd " commanded you aboard," he screamed subordinate in Portuguese " go aboard forthwith mutiny--rank mutiny Mutiny and cowardice ! Where courage that should animate us ? you in irons, you shot like dog " He began torrent of abuse and curses, he danced to and fro He shook his fists, he behaved beside himself with rage, lieutenant, white and still, stood looking at him The crew appeared forward, with amazed faces

Suddenly, in pause outbreak, the lieutenant came to some heroic decision, saluted, drew himself together and clambered deck cuberta

"Ah ! " said Gerilleau, mouth shut like trap Holroyd saw the ants retreating before da Cunha's boots The Portuguese walked slowly fallen man, stooped down, hesitated, clutched his coat and turned him over black swarm of ants rushed clothes, and da Cunha stepped back very quickly and trod times deck

Holroyd put up the glasses the scattered ants invader's feet, and doing what he had never seen ants doing before They had nothing blind movements common ant; they were looking at him--as rallying crowd of men might look at some gigantic monster that had dispersed it

"How did he die ? " the captain shouted

Holroyd understood the Portuguese the body was eaten

"What forward ? " asked Gerilleau

The lieutenant walked few paces, and began his answer in Portuguese He stopped abruptly and beat off something leg some peculiar steps trying to stamp on something invisible, and went quickly towards the side Then he controlled himself, turned about, walked deliberately forward hold, clambered fore decking, the sweeps are worked, stooped for time over the second man, groaned audibly, and made his way back and aft cabin, moving very rigidly He turned and began conversation captain, cold and respectful in tone on either side, contrasting vividly wrath and insult of before Holroyd gathered only fragments purport

He reverted field-glass, and was surprised the ants had vanished from all the exposed surfaces deck He turned towards the shadows beneath the decking, and it seemed to him they were full of watching eyes

The cuberta, agreed; was derelict, but too full of ants men aboard to sit and sleep: it towed The lieutenant went forward in and adjust the cable, men boat stood up ready to help him Holroyd's glasses searched the canoe

He became more and more impressed fact that great if minute and furtive activity was going on He perceived that number of gigantic ants--they seemed nearly couple of inches in length--carrying oddly-shaped burthens imagine no use--were moving in rushes from one point of obscurity to another move in columns across the exposed places, but in open, spaced-out lines, oddly suggestive rushes of modern infantry advancing under fire number were taking cover under the dead man's clothes, and perfect swarm was gathering along the side over which da Cunha must presently go

them actually rush lieutenant as he returned, but he has make concerted rush Suddenly the lieutenant was shouting and cursing and beating at his legs "I'm stung ! " he shouted, with face of hate and accusation towards Gerilleau