f Arab children, who at first started to run away.
But, seeing that the queer creature which had dropped from the skies
was caught fast in the tree, they stopped and began to throw stones and
clubs at it. One of the missiles struck the tree-limb at the right of
the Woggle-Bug and jarred him loose. The next instant he fluttered to
the ground, where his first act was to fold up his wings and tuck them
underneath his coat-tails again, and his next action was to assure
himself that the beloved plaids were still safe.

Then he looked for the Arab children; but they had scuttled away
towards a group of tents, and now several men with dark skins and gay
clothing came from the tents and ran towards the Woggle-Bug.

"Good morning," said our hero, removing his hat with a flourish and
bowing politely.

"Meb-la-che-bah!" shouted the biggest Arab, and at once two others
wound coils of rope around the Woggle-Bug and tied the ends in hard
knots.

His hat was knocked off and trampled into the mud by the Shiek (who was
the big Arab), and the precious parcel was seized and ruthlessly
opened.

"Very good!" said the Shiek, eyeing the plaids with pleasure. "My
slaves shall make me a new waistcoat of this cloth."

"No! oh, no!" cried the agonized Insect; "it is taken from a person who
has had small-pox and yellow-fever and toothache and mumps--all at the
same time. Do not, I bet you, risk your valuable life by wearing that
cloth!"

"Bah!" said the Shiek, scornfully; "I have had all those diseases and
many more. I am immune. But now," he continued, "allow me to bid you
good-bye. I am sorry to be obliged to kill you, but such is our
custom."

This was bad news for the Woggle-Bug; but he did not despair.

"Are you not afraid to kill me?" he asked, as if surprised.

"Why should I be afraid?" demanded the Shiek.

"Because it is well-known that to kill a woggle-bug brings bad luck to
one."

The Shiek hesitated, for he was very superstitious.

"Are you a woggle-bug?" he asked.

"I am," replied the Insect, proudly. "And I may as well tell you that
the last person who killed one of my race had three unlucky days. The
first his suspenders broke (the Arab shuddered), the second day he
smashed a looking-glass (the Arab moaned), and the third day he was
chewed up by a crocodile."

Now the greatest aversion Arabs have is to be chewed by a crocodile,
because these people usually roam over the sands of the desert, where
to meet an amphi