A litter of tiny sticks and twigs, small pieces of charcoal, loose sand and clay, all heaped in a mound; and everything about it looked very dry and ugly. It certainly looked quite harmless, just as other mounds did; but as Blinky gave a poke at it with his paw, it instantly bristled with life. Angry ants rushed out from nowhere, big red fellows, bristling with indignation, to see who had had the impudence to disturb their peace.

“Ah! Percy Bull Ant,” said Blinky as he cautiously moved backwards a little. “I’ve come with a message for you from Mr Owl, and he sends his respects.”

An ant larger than the rest advanced to Blinky and eyed him curiously, still waving a leg in a dangerous manner, and a nasty fighting look about his whole body. Blinky did not feel too safe and moved another step backwards.

“Look here Percy,” he said very politely, “put that leg of yours down, and don’t look so bristly.”

“Look here, Percy,” he said very politely, “kindly put that leg of yours down, and don’t look so bristly.”

“You’re Blinky Bill, aren’t you, if I’m not mistaken?” said Percy Bull Ant.

“Yes, I am,” replied Blinky. “And for goodness’ sake send all your brothers back in their nest. I feel quite nervous. They seem to have such a lot of legs.”

“Oh, they’re harmless,” said Percy in an off-hand manner. “All the same, I’ll do as you wish.”

“Back to your work, all of you!” ordered Percy, and instantly they disappeared back to nowhere. “Now, my lad, tell me what Mr Owl said,” And Percy carelessly picked up a stick and started chewing the end of it, his head on one side and his wicked big eyes pausing to gaze at Blinky in a cold rude manner.

“Please, Percy,” Blinky began, “Miss Possum is very-frightened. Mrs Snake and Granny Goanna are coming to steal all the babies that live in her tree. She’s nearly dead with fright, and fainted twice while I was speaking to her.”

“Dear, dear,” said Percy Bull Ant.

“Yes, Percy, it’s very serious, and Mr Owl thought the best thing to do would be for you to gather all your relations together and fight the old robbers when they came for the babies.”

“Um,” said Percy, as he threw down the stick he had been chewing, “so that’s their caper, is it? Well, I’ll hold a meeting and let you know what we decide to do about it. Hold on a minute, I’ll not be long.” And Percy disappeared into nowhere.

Blinky waited patiently, keeping his eyes glued on the ant-nest. He did not trust any of them.

In a very short time Percy appeared again and slowly advanced to Blinky with a decided tread. His head was downcast, and anyone at a glance could see he was deep in thought. He kicked a grain of sand out of his pathway, and nearly fell over a tiny ball of clay.

“Ants’ pants!” he shouted. “I nearly broke my big toe.”

“I’m sorry,” said Blinky in a whisper, as he did not feel a little bit safe. Percy Bull Ant was such a queer fellow. Good-natured one moment, and bad tempered the next; in fact, he was what is known as temperamental.

“Oh, quite all right, old fellow,” said Percy. “Some careless ant has left things about where they’ve no business to be. Now about this matter of the babies. I’ve had a talk to all the young bloods down there, and they’re keen for a fight. At the moment they are sharpening their nippers and filling up with poison at the bowser. How would a couple of thousand warriors do?”

“Splendid!” cried Blinky, dancing around with glee. “How pleased Miss Possum will be! And I hope you kill Mrs Snake and old Granny Goanna.”

“Leave it to me,” said Percy, winking an eye.

“When will you come?” Blinky inquired.

“In a few moments,” Percy replied. “You’d better lead the way, or get back as quickly as you can. When the boys are on the fighting track they’re pretty nasty.” Blinky did not wait to hear more. He hurried as fast as he could. The more distance between Percy’s boys and himself the better for any bear, he thought. He puffed as he ran, and felt terribly hot, but came to the tree where Miss Possum waited in a very excited state.

“Leave it to me!” said Percy, winking an eye.

“I’m nearly dead with fright,” she called from the topmost branch.