boys and Mr. Alcando saw what seemed to be a procession of
green leaves making its way through the jungle.

"Those are real leaves the ants carry," explained the guide, who
spoke very good English. "They are called leaf-cutting ants, and
each one of them is really carrying a leaf he has cut from some
tree."

On closer inspection the boys saw that this was so. Each ant
carried on its back a triangular leaf, and the odd part, or,
rather, one of the odd features, was that the leaf was carried
with the thin edge forward, so it would not blow in the wind.

"What do they do with 'em?" asked Joe. "Eat 'em, or make houses of
'em?"

"Neither," replied the guide. "The ants put the leaves away until
they are covered with a fungus growth. It is this fungus that the
ants eat, and when it has all been taken from the leaves they are
brought out of the ant homes, and a fresh lot of leaves are
brought in. These ants are bringing in a fresh lot now, you see."

"How odd!" exclaimed Blake. "We must get a picture of this, Joe."

"We sure must!" agreed his chum.

"But how can you take moving pictures of such small things as
ants?" asked Mr. Alcando.

"We'll put on an enlarging lens, and get the camera close to
them," explained Blake, who had had experience in taking several
films of this sort for the use of schools and colleges.

A halt was called while the camera was made ready, and then, as
the ants went on in their queer procession, carrying the leaves
which looked like green sails over their backs, the film clicked
on in its indelible impression of them, for the delight of
audiences who might see them on the screen, in moving picture
theaters from Maine to California.

"Well, that was worth getting," said Blake, as they put away the
camera, and went on again. "I wonder what we'll see next?"

"Have you any wild beasts in these jungles?" asked Mr. Alcando of
the Indian guide.

"Well, not many. We have some deer, though this is not the best
time to see them. And once in a while you'll see a--"

"What's that?" suddenly interrupted Blake, pointing through the
thick growth of trees. "I saw some animal moving then. Maybe it
was a deer. I'd like to get a picture of it."

There was a movement in the underbrush, and a shouting among the
native carriers.

"Come on!" cried Joe, dashing ahead with a camera.

"Better wait," advised Mr. Alcando. "It might be something
dangerous."

"It's only some tapirs, I think," the guide said