“I come to the conclusion that our enemy is either very clever or nonexistent,” said the little green beetle surreptitiously. The cricket and the pillbug wore worried expressions on their countenances, only the mantis seemed unconcerned.

“What shall we do?” asked the cricket.

“Well it’s clear we can’t go about doing what we will, as we have,” the little green beetle remonstrated, “We shall have to take precautions.”

“Oh dear,” said the cricket.

“Oh yes,” said the beetle. “No more idle strolls through the grass, not at least without the company of a friend and a wary eye out for danger.”

“But what kind of danger shall we be on the lookout for?” the cricket gasped.

“The unexpected kind,” the beetle said forebodingly.

“That’s the worst kind, isn’t it?” said the pillbug.

“Oh certainly, the worst,” the little beetle agreed.

There was a brief and ominous silence which was broken by the cricket, who suddenly ducked and looked skyward with a terrified expression. The little green beetle scampered behind a pebble and the pillbug rolled into a ball.

“What was that?” the beetle asked, peering out from behind his pebble after some few seconds, his curiosity getting the best of him.

“Did you see it? Did you see it?” the pillbug shouted from within his protective sphere.

“What was it?” the beetle demanded tersely of the cricket.

“I, ah, did you happen to catch what particular variety, of ah, that was exactly?” the muddled cricket asked of the mantis.

“I think it was nothing,” the mantis replied.

“Ah ha, my hypothesis gains credence,” the little beetle declared smugly.

“It does?” the cricket asked.

“Yes of course, if it was nothing, then that compounds the likelihood of the overall something being indeed either something very clever or nonexistent.”

“Oh, yes,” the cricket conceded.

“I’m still scared,” the pillbug said, peeking out his antennae from beneath his plating.

“And with good cause,” the beetle declared, “our enemy is still quite anonymous.”

“Oh my,” said the pillbug, nearly withdrawing completely back into his protective containment.

“What shall we do?” asked the cricket.

“I should think we had better keep close to somewhere safe at all times, the good grace of fortune alone provided me that expedient pebble, one can only fathom my predicament next time, should I continue to amble through life as carefree as I have.”

“Oh certainly, had the nothing been something, I should be without my head, I fancy,” the cricket speculated without a hint of relief.

“See, you wouldn’t be in nearly the trouble you are now, if you had secured safe lodgings ahead of time,” observed the beetle.

“What a fool I have been,” the cricket responded.

“What a fool,” the beetle repeated, suggesting his agreement.

“Will my shell do?” the pillbug asked.

“I should think not,” the little green beetle declared reproachfully, “that’s the same old thing you’ve been carting around since you were born.”

“Oh my, you’re right,” the pillbug gasped.

“Of course I’m right,” huffawed the beetle, “you’ll need some place to hide, a silly shell won’t protect you.”

“I’m afraid not,” said the pillbug.

“I’m afraid so,” said the beetle.

“I’m not too good at finding places to hide,” said the pillbug.

“Perhaps you shouldn’t wander too far from me,” suggested the beetle, “if I’ll be required to look after you.”

“Oh, would you?” asked the pillbug.

“Would I what?” snorted the green beetle.

“Would you look after me, until, at least, I develop my hiding skills.”

“I said I would,” the beetle barked with humility.

“Oh thank you,” said the pillbug.

“What’s wrong with him?” the little green beetle asked the mantis, indicating the cricket who appeared to have removed himself, reticently, from the conversation.

“Must be tired,” the mantis suggested.

“Tired? Now’s not a time for napping!” the beetle exclaimed, “we’re in danger! Wake him up!” he directed the pillbug.

The pillbug crawled over to the cricket, who had effected a leisurely posture of lying on his side with one leg protruding, askew, into the air.

“Wake up,” the pillbug suggested to the cricket.

“With conviction,” the beetle yelled to his protégé.

“Wake up,” the pillbug tried again.

“Lean right in and announce it in his ear,” the beetle said with growing interest in his new authority. He waited for a moment while the pillbug quietly ambled about at the other end of the cricket.

“What’s the matter?” he asked the pillbug.

“I, I can’t seem to find his ear,” the pillbug responded.

“Can’t seem to find his ear,” the little beetle muttered. “Can you believe this?” he asked the mantis.

“No,” said the mantis.

“Are you still having difficulties?” the beetle queried his inept charge.

“It, it should be right around here,” was the response.

“His ear?” the beetle asked, with a clever grin directed in the mantis’ direction.

“His head,” the pillbug responded over his shoulder.

“His head? You can’t find his head?” the beetle declared with growing irritation.

“That seems to be the trouble,” conceded the pillbug.

The little green beetle hurried over to the pillbug’s side, “What have you done with his head?” he shouted with exasperation.

“I haven’t done a thing with it, I was just looking for his ear.”

“Well I’ll say he’s dead!” the little green beetle announced with horror.

“Dead?” cried the pillbug and he rolled up, forgetfully, into a ball.

“You!” the little green beetle shouted, “yes, I think you know something about this.”

The pillbug wondered who he was talking to.

“What’s that?” said the beetle, “can’t you speak up? One moment, I don’t know why you’re standing over there.”

The pillbug waited, but he didn’t hear any more. After some minutes in which he heard nothing but modest silence, he summoned his courage and peeked his antennae out from under his shell. The little green beetle was resting, apparently asleep, which explained his recent modesty. The mantis was nowhere to be seen. The pillbug remained where he was for a few minutes, duteously yet with growing discomfort, and then decided it was best to be getting along, perhaps to take an idle stroll through the grass, and let the little green beetle rest peacefully.