"We"ll say no more about the matter," Daddy observed stiffly. "I can see that you are jealous. And I always make it a rule not to dispute with jealous people."
Rusty Wren couldn"t help feeling somewhat ashamed. He realized that perhaps he had not been very polite to his caller. "I meant no harm," he ventured "And if you want to change the subject, I"ve no objection."
"Very well!" Daddy Longlegs replied. "Let"s talk about your cousin"s party at Black Creek. I was sorry not to be present at it. But the high wind prevented me from travelling that day."
Then it was Rusty Wren"s turn to look disappointed.
"There wasn"t any party," he said. "Old Mr. Crow was mistaken. My cousin"s party took place exactly a year earlier. So Mr. Crow was twelve months late with his news."
When he heard that, Daddy Longlegs couldn"t help laughing right in Rusty Wren"s face.
"I don"t see any joke," Rusty snapped. "I can tell you that it"s a good deal of a disappointment to have your mind all made up for a party, and then find that there is none."
"Perhaps you"re right," said Daddy Longlegs. "Anyhow, I"m glad now that there was a wind that day, because the wind prevented my walking all the way to Black Creek for nothing."
"Well, there"s no wind now to keep you from walking anywhere you want to go," said Rusty Wren slyly. He hoped that Daddy Longlegs would take the hint--and leave, for he did not care to talk with him any longer.
Besides, it was time for Rusty to feed his six growing children.
Soon, to Rusty"s relief, Daddy Longlegs began to creep down the trunk of the cherry tree.
If he had known what was in store for him he might not have left just then.
XVII
DADDY IS ATTACKED
WHEN Daddy Longlegs went to call on Rusty Wren he did not know that a whole army had planned to capture him. But it was true, nevertheless, that a plot had been hatched against him. Now, right beneath the big old cherry tree where Rusty had his home there lived a colony of ants. And it was Rusty"s habit--and his wife"s, as well--to enjoy an occasional meal (or a light luncheon) by capturing and eating such ants as were not spry enough to keep out of harm"s way.
Such actions only served to make the Wren family heartily disliked by every member of the ant colony. But there was nothing the ants could do except to try to be careful. And they were so angry that since they were powerless to harm the Wrens, they were quite ready and eager to vent their spite on Rusty"s smaller friends.
That was the reason why they had determined to attack Daddy Longlegs at the very first opportunity.
Yes! The members of the ant colony had made up their minds to capture Daddy the next time he should visit Rusty Wren. And the ant army of fierce fighters was all prepared for a terrible battle. Each day sentinels took their posts and stayed on watch, ready to give the alarm the moment Daddy Longlegs came hobbling through the gra.s.s near the foot of the cherry tree.
And when, at last, Daddy fell into the trap, on the day that he visited Rusty to boast about his wagon ride, the news of his arrival spread like wildfire.
The ants had not said a word to Daddy as he pa.s.sed their home and climbed up the cherry tree. They allowed him to go unharmed. But while he was high up in the tree chatting with Rusty Wren, ants hurried back to their stronghold from every direction. And in a surprisingly short time the whole army was ready and waiting--waiting for Daddy Longlegs to descend to the ground.
When he had finished his call, Daddy Longlegs left the cherry tree and started homeward. But he had not gone more than a few inches when the ant army sprang out of the ground as if by magic.
The soldiers were all around Daddy before he realized what was happening. And then he saw that it was too late for him to turn back and try to escape by climbing the tree again.
Being a timid person, he took fright at once. And looking up toward Rusty Wren"s house he cried, "Help! help!" in a terror-stricken voice.
But Daddy"s shrieks brought no answer. Rusty Wren had flown away to find food for his hungry children. The ant sentinels had seen him leave. And they knew that they had nothing to fear from that quarter.
As the army closed in around him, Daddy Longlegs thought that he had never been in such danger in all his life before. The army was so near him that he could have seen the whites of the soldier"s eyes--if they had had any whites.
XVIII
THE ANT ARMY
URGED on by their leaders, the ant soldiers dashed upon meek, frightened Daddy Longlegs. On all sides they crowded about him. And as he looked down at his swarming enemies and saw how fiercely they rushed at him, his knees began to tremble just as they did when a strong wind was blowing.
Poor Daddy stood helplessly waiting for the worst to happen. He expected any moment to feel himself pulled down and thrown upon the ground. But strange to say, in spite of the uproar and the mad charge of Daddy"s enemies, nothing of the kind occurred. Soon it became clear that the ant army was in some sort of trouble. Although the leaders drove the soldiers at Daddy Longlegs with frantic cries, the army merely surged backwards and forwards around him.
And Daddy had not received as much as a slap on the wrist from a single one of the attacking party.
Seeing that his forces were making no headway against the enemy, General Antenna, who commanded the entire army, called to one of the captains.
"What"s the trouble, Captain Kidd?" the General demanded. "Our soldiers don"t seem to be doing any damage."
Of course, you must click your heels together when a General speaks to you. And naturally that took Captain Kidd some time to do, because it is no easy matter to click your heels together when you have six feet.
Perhaps it was only to be expected that General Antenna should quickly become impatient.
"Why don"t you answer?" the General shouted. "We"ll lose the battle if we"re not careful!"
Then Captain Kidd had to stop and salute the General. And that took time, too. For how could anyone touch his cap when he had lost it somewhere?
Luckily, General Antenna soon saw what was the matter, and said:
"Here--take my cap!" And the General promptly clapped a gold-braided cap upon the Captain"s head.
Then Captain Kidd was able to salute. And after that--and not before--the brave officer was ready to answer the General"s inquiry.
Yes! Captain Kidd was all ready to reply. But by that time the Captain had quite forgotten what the question was.
Fortunately, General Antenna remembered--and repeated--it.
"What"s the trouble?"
"Oh, yes!" said the Captain. "The trouble is this: Our soldiers can"t reach the enemy. Daddy Longlegs is so tall that they can"t touch anything except his feet!"
Taking a careful look at the battle-field, the General saw that it was so. But still the commander of the army was not dismayed.
"Can"t you tip him over?"
"We"ve tried to already," replied Captain Kidd. "But he has too many legs for us."
"Can"t your soldiers stand on one another"s shoulders?"