They walked through a long corridor, deep in the town. In the darkness, Mirmex ran along confidently, only here and there touching the walls, while Little Tom was obliged to grope his way. He was hot and the strong fragrance was almost overpowering, while every now and then he bumped into workmen hurrying and quickly passing around them. Finally, they came into a series of dry, warm halls, and when Tom became accustomed to the darkness, he perceived thousands of little, light worms that were stretching their necks and turning their little black heads.
Workmen were running among them, pushing into their little mouths a sweet porridge and thus feeding them. Mirmex silently watched the careful attention of the workers for a moment and then said, »These are our youth, our pride and hope. They were born from eggs and when they grow up, will enclose themselves in chrysalises from which they will come out as ants, our descendants. Our chief concern is that they have a good living place, neither wet nor cool and that they have enough porridge, so that they will develop properly.«
Tom was greatly touched by the ants' care of their little ones, and was surprised that they had such experienced and skilful nurses who seemed to love their wards so tenderly.
They went up one story higher and found, lying on the floor, thousands of white chrysalises all wrapped up in silken coverings. A number of the ants were taking these chrysalises in their strong jaws and carrying them out through a broad corridor at the end of which daylight was shining. Following them, Tom and Mirmex came out under a thick arch of pine needles, through which circles had been bitten, to allow the rays of the sun to strike the ant hill. On these dry places where the sun was shining, the ants placed the chrysalises side by side, so that they should be warmed in its rays.
The entire top of the town was covered by stones over which were placed pine needles to shed the water when it rained. Mirmex and Tom stepped up on one of these stones and looked about them. They saw roads like white threads, that lost themselves in the high grass and moss. All over the town were the thickly crowded workmen, while other groups were hurrying along the paths.
Mirmex explained to Tom the troubles they had with the chrysalises. In the mound were corridors of different temperatures so that, according to the weather, the chrysalises could be taken where the conditions were favorable, while, on clear, dry days, they were brought out in the sun.