
By Paul Ernst
CHAPTER I The Challenge of the Mound
CHAPTER II The Pact
CHAPTER III Ant-Sized Men
CHAPTER IV The Raid
CHAPTER V Trapped
CHAPTER VI In the Food Room
CHAPTER VII "Clinging Brown Stuff"
CHAPTER VIII The Coming of the Soldiers
CHAPTER IX The Cannibalistic Orgy
In this quirky adventure, entomologist Denny convinces his skeptical friend Jim to explore a massive termite mound that rises like a strange island in a quiet grove. Using miniature steel tools they cut away a section of the crust, revealing a honeycomb of tunnels and a frantic rush of insects. The glimpse sparks Denny’s obsession while Jim watches the tiny drama with a mix of amusement and concern.
Together they grapple with how to descend into the labyrinthine passages and what the termites might reveal about intelligence and organization. The narrative blends dry scientific commentary with vivid, almost cinematic description of the insects’ retreat and the eerie silence that follows. Listeners are left wondering whether curiosity will lead the explorers deeper into this hidden world without becoming its next victims.
Language
en
Duration
~2 hours (148K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net
Release date
Nov 12, 2008
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1899–1985
A prolific pulp storyteller, this American writer helped shape the fast-paced adventure fiction of the early 20th century. He is especially remembered for the original Avenger novels and for stories that ranged across science fiction, fantasy, and mystery.
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