It satisfied some dramatic instinct in him . But under his triumph was a queer little chill of some mysterious dread . The Pied Piper had seemed very real to him -- as if the fluttering veil that hid the future had for a moment been blown aside in the starlit dusk of Rainbow Valley and some dim glimpse of coming years granted to him . Carl , coming up to their group with a report of the doings in ant-land , brought them all back to the realm of facts . `` Ants ARE darned in ` resting , '' exclaimed Mary , glad to escape the shadowy Piper 's thrall . `` Carl and me watched that bed in the graveyard all Saturday afternoon . I never thought there was so much in bugs . Say , but they 're quarrelsome little cusses -- some of 'em like to start a fight ` thout any reason , far 's we could see . And some of 'em are cowards . They got so scared they just doubled theirselves up into a ball and let the other fellows bang 'em . They would n't put up a fight at all . Some of 'em are lazy and wo n't work . We watched 'em shirking . And there was one ant died of grief 'cause another ant got killed -- would n't work -- would n't eat -- just died -- it did , honest to Go -- oodness . '' A shocked silence prevailed . Every one knew that Mary had not started out to say `` goodness . '' Faith and Di exchanged glances that would have done credit to Miss Cornelia herself . Walter and Carl looked uncomfortable and Una 's lip trembled . Mary squirmed uncomfortably . `` That slipped out ` fore I thought -- it did , honest to -- I mean , true 's you live , and I swallowed half of it .
You folks over here are mighty squeamish seems XXXXX me .
Cornelia at cowards in into of that to under with