THE LIFE OF A BEE 



"You're a clever fellow," said the old director. 

 "But I see bits of gum have fallen on the bottom- 

 board and already there are accumulations which af- 

 ford excellent hiding-places for web-worms. Go and 

 clean them out, if you please." 



I went promptly, and sure enough, chips from my 

 patching and from many others and scraps of comb had 

 gathered in the corner, and I found myself facing a 

 considerable undertaking. Time after time I seized 

 scraps in my mandibles and flew away with them, 

 dropping them outside. 



I was far from the end of my labors when suddenly 

 the ugliest thing I had ever seen burst out on me. 

 It was a long, white-brown worm, which I had un- 

 covered in the debris. It wriggled away as though 

 aware of danger. 



I was standing by, irresolute, when I heard a call, 

 from I knew not what source. 



"Why don't you seize him, coward!" 



I was not a coward, but I could not make up my 

 mind what to do. But the little rascal that had scolded 

 me knew, and fell upon the monster manfully. 



Over and over the worm turned, writhing like a 

 beast in torment, and suddenly it twisted itself quite 

 out of the clutches of its enemy and made for a cell 

 in the nearest comb. 



Up to this point I had taken no hand in the fight, 

 but now I joined in the pursuit. In the mean time the 

 worm had escaped and was trying to hide in a cell. 



We stopped for a moment, the two of us, peering 

 at him, wondering what next to do. At least I was 

 wondering, when my mentor spoke out sharply. 



6? 



