Anthill Inside

There were two round holes, then a whole pattern of round holes, and then a further two holes. On it, in pencil, someone had scribbled “2 + 2.” Ridcully was the kind of man who’d push any lever, just to see what it did. He put the card in the obvious slot… There was an immediate change in the rustling. Ants trailed in their thousands through the tubing. Some of them appeared to be carrying seeds.. There was a small dull sound and a card dropped out of the other end of the glass maze. It had four holes in it. Ridcully was still staring at it when Ponder came up behind him, rubbing his eyes. “‘s our ant counter,” he said. “Two plus two equals four,” said Ridcully. “well, well, I never knew that. “It can do other sums as well.” “You tellin’ me ants can count?” “Oh, no. Not individual ants… it’s a bit hard to explain… the holes in the cards, you see, block up some tubes and let them through others and…” Ponder sighed, “we think it might be able to do other things.” “Like what?” Ridcully demanded. “Er, that’s what we’re trying to find out…”