"What I want to know," said Susie, "is, If the ant-cities are
underground, how can any one see what goes on in them?"

"That is easily managed," Miss Ruth answered.

"A nest is taken up with a quantity of the earth that surrounds it, then
it is cut down from the top--as you would halve a loaf of bread--and the
divided parts are placed in glass cases made purposely to receive them.
Of course, the little people are greatly disturbed for a time, and no
wonder; but they soon grow accustomed to the new surroundings and go on
with their every-day employments as if nothing had happened. The sides
of the case make a fine firm wall for their city; they are furnished
with plenty of food and building material, and soon they can be seen
busy at work clearing their streets, building houses, feeding the
babies, and quite contented and happy in their glass city. If, after
months of separation, an ant from one half of the divided nest should be
put into the other he would be recognized at once and welcomed with joy;
but if a stranger were introduced he would be attacked and probably
killed."

"We had a great time with the ants at our house last summer," said Eliza
Jones: "little mites of red things, you know, and they _would_ get into
the cake-chest and the sugar-bucket, and bothered ma so she had to keep
all the sweet things on a table with its legs in basins of water. They
couldn't get over that, you see."

"Why not?" Mollie asked. "Can't they swim?"

"Ours couldn't; lots of them fell in the water and were drowned."