.CHAPTER. 

 A Gleaner of I 





awa kened about the same 

 time and began to stir about. 

 The first thing that happened 

 was a new experience the wax-pickers fell upon me 

 and raked and scraped me for the tiny bits of wax 

 which now, on account of my voracious appetite, had 

 begun to grow in each of the rings marking the under 

 sections of my body. They were so rude that at first 

 I was inclined to resent their interference, which 

 seemed to be mere meddling. But when I looked 

 at Crip and saw two busy wax -pickers fumbling 

 over him, I began to understand that this was part 

 of a routine, and so I stood still until they had 

 finished. 



"They won't bother with me much longer," said 

 Crip, sadly. "You see, when one becomes old the 

 wax grows thinly so the pickers give over. But 



5 



