154 " TENANTS OF AN OLD FARM. 



day, and while moving my feet back and forth, lirs' 

 thing I knowed two or three bees came up out 'v the 

 grass and began buzzin' 'round me. I knowed what 

 that meant, stooped down and found this hole." 



" So ?" said the Schoolma'am. " The bees then were 

 themselves the tell-tales and betrayed their own nest. 

 They hadn't imbibed the peaceful principles of the old 

 Friendly proprietor, or they might have escaped this 

 impending doom. Heigh-ho!" 



" Very likely, Miss Abby. But we can moralize by 

 and by. Where 's your other nest, Harry ?" 



It was pointed out at the edge of an uncovered hot- 

 bed which had been set into the l)ank about eight feet 

 from the pretty gate which we had just examined and 

 admired. A hole as big as one's fist penetrated the 

 bank at the side of the bed-frame, into which several 

 bees entered while we looked. Tlie first opening was 

 evidently the natural architecture of the bees, but 

 this seemed to be the burrow of a mole which had 

 been utilized by the insects. "We decided to begin 

 operations at the first gate. The partv gatliered around 

 at various distances, regulated by the various degrees of 

 respect entertained for the acculeate ability of the 

 bees. 



"Hello, Joe, bring on the jug!" called Harry; 

 " we 're all ready." 



" Jug ? What's that for ?" asked Abby. 



"Dear knows!" said the Mistress; "but the boys 

 have been exploring the premises for a black jug — it 

 must be a black one, they said, or it wouldn't answer." 



